title: Early diagnosis of vertebral fractures.
abstract: Vertebral fractures are a common clinical entity, caused by trauma or related to osteoporosis (benign). Their recognition is especially important in the post-menopausal female population but also important is their differentiation from pathological (malignant) fractures (1). A vertebral fracture is evidenced by vertebral body deformity or reduction in vertebral body height beyond a certain threshold value in the absence of bone discontinuity. For prognosis and treatment it is extremely important to recognize the cause of the fracture. In contrast to fractures that occur in other locations, vertebral fractures often go unrecognized in the acute phase as the pain may be transient and radiographic and evaluation of the spine may be difficult (2). Objective measurement of the vertebral deformity provides invaluable information to the interpreting physician and helps grade fracture severity. The recognition and diagnosis of vertebral fractures can be performed using additional diagnostic tools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy ; Department of Radiology, Scientific Institute Hospital "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: di Chio
authors.forename: Maria Rita Delle
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vergini
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Porta
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasuto
authors.forename: Luigia Anna
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Di Primio
keywords: bone densitometry; plain radiographs; vertebral fractures; vertebral morphometry