title: The feasibility of dual-energy CT in differentiation of vertebral compression fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively evaluate the ability of dual-energy CT (DECT), compared with MRI, to identify vertebral compression fractures in acute trauma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This institutional review board-approved study included 23 consecutive patients with 32 vertebral fractures who underwent both DECT and MRI of the spine between February 2014 and September 2014. A total of 209 vertebrae were evaluated for the presence of abnormal bone marrow attenuation on DECT and signal on MRI by five experienced radiologists. The specificity, sensitivity, predictive values and intraobserver and interobserver agreements were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MRI revealed a total of 47 vertebrae (22.4% of all vertebrae) and DECT revealed 44 vertebrae (21.0% of all vertebrae) with oedema. Using MRI as the reference standard, DECT had sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, negative-predictive value and accuracy of 89.3, 98.7, 95.4, 96.9 and 96.6%, respectively. With respect to establishing the presence of oedema, the interobserver agreement was almost perfect (k = 0.82), and the intraobserver agreement was substantial (k = 0.80).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with MRI, DECT can provide an accurate demonstration of acute vertebral fractures and can be used as an alternative imaging modality for the assessment of vertebral fractures in patients with contraindications for MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Distinguishing of acute and chronic vertebral compression fracture is important for treatment choices. DECT is very fast compared with MRI and is an alternative imaging modality for the assessment of vertebral fractures in patients with contraindications for MRI.
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.|2 Eregli State Hospital, Radiology Department, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuceler
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mecit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantarci
authors.affiliation: 3 Ataturk University, Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Çakır
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sade
authors.affiliation: 3 Ataturk University, Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calıkoglu
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hayri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogul
authors.affiliation: 1 Atatürk University, Medical School, Department of Radiology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: U Gulsum
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Bayrakturan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed