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Vertebral Compression Fractures in Elderly: How to Recognize and Report

  • Geriatrics (G Guglielmi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

In elderly patients, when there is no obvious evidence of malignancy on plain radiography, it can be difficult to evaluate benign and malignant vertebral fractures, because these patients are predisposed to senile osteoporosis and malignant disease. The only complaint could be back pain, as both types of fractures have the same symptoms and signs.

Recent Findings

A reliable imaging modality is always required, as appropriate management and early diagnosis of malignant vertebral fractures are important.

Summary

The aim of this study was to highlight the importance of recognizing, through diagnostic techniques, the presence of vertebral fractures, since the majority of vertebral fractures do not come to clinical attention and to determine the parameters that are useful for the early differentiation between benign versus malignant vertebral fractures.

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References

Recently published papers of particular interest have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Scientific Institute Hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, Viale Cappuccini 1, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy

    Maria Antonietta Clemente & Giuseppe Guglielmi

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Foggia University School of Medicine, Viale Pinto, 1, Foggia, Italy

    Giuseppe Guglielmi

  3. Unit of Radiation Oncology of IRCCS CROB, Rionero in Vulture, Potenza, Italy

    Paola Rabasco, Giancarlo Iannelli, Antonio Villonio, Antonella Lotumolo, Matilde Gioioso, Alexis Zandolino & Aldo Cammarota

Authors
  1. Maria Antonietta Clemente
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  2. Paola Rabasco
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  3. Giancarlo Iannelli
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  4. Antonio Villonio
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  5. Antonella Lotumolo
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  8. Giuseppe Guglielmi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Guglielmi.

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Conflict of interest

Maria Antonietta Clemente, Paola Rabasco, Giancarlo Iannelli, Antonio Villonio, Antonella Lotumolo, Matilde Gioioso, Alexis Zandolino, and Aldo Cammarota each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical collection on Geriatrics.

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Clemente, M.A., Rabasco, P., Iannelli, G. et al. Vertebral Compression Fractures in Elderly: How to Recognize and Report. Curr Radiol Rep 6, 32 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40134-018-0289-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40134-018-0289-1

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