Substantial vertebral body osteophytes protect against severe vertebral fractures in compression
Fig 5
First vertebra to collapse and fracture pattern.
a) Specimen without osteophytes (segment T11-L1 specimen of subject 3). The middle vertebra (T12) is the first to collapse. A horizontal pattern splits the vertebra in upper and lower parts. A burst fracture is observed on the QCT image. b) Specimen with substantial osteophytes (segment T8-T10 of subject 2). The proximal vertebra (T11) is the first to collapse. A vertical pattern splits the vertebra in anterior and posterior parts. A fracture of the osteophyte is observed on the QCT image. The dashed lines represent the ejection of the bone marrow at the site of the fracture.