Radiologic Evaluation of Chronic Vertebral Compression Fractures and Role of Vertebral Augmentation

The literature has classified chronic vertebral compression fractures (VCF) as those still "symptomatic" four or more months after onset. Pain is regarded as the predominant chronic symptom; however, radiologic changes are important in evaluating fracture progression. This review examines a series of patients with chronic fractures and both persistence of spinal pain combined with radiologic changes, such as worsening collapse, spinal angulation, the development of vertebral edema and clefts, as well as the development of new fractures at adjacent spinal levels. In patients with clear progressive radiologic changes in addition to pain, vertebral augmentation on an average of 9.3 months after injury was effective in reducing the pain and stabilizing these more chronic osteoporotic fractures. A comparison of the pre- and post-procedure visual analog scale score (VAS) indicated an average of 66% reduction in pain. There are several reasons for the development of chronic symptomatic fractures. Most commonly, interventional treatment is delayed in a patient already diagnosed with VCF after a long period of conservative treatment, yet pain persists, or the initial clinical and radiologic evaluation misses the fracture, leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. In this report, management in these patients and the role of late vertebral augmentation for chronic symptomatic fractures is clarified based on the findings of various radiologic changes seen on both initial and follow-up radiologic studies.