An Assessment of Radiological Criteria Used in the Study of Spinal Osteoporosis

Abstract

Lateral radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine of 34 patients with spinal osteoporosis were taken at intervals of six months for a period of at least two years. The radiographs were carefully reviewed to assess the effects of treatment with calcium supplements and/or anabolic compounds. In particular, attempts were made to assess the photographic density of the vertebral bodies relative to that of the soft tissues, the relative prominence of vertical trabeculae, the thickness of the anterior cortex of the vertebral bodies, the thickness and photographic density of the end-plates, and the degree of biconcavity of the 3rd lumbar vertebra. None of these methods proved reliable.