Imaging parameters and clinical significance of posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar fracture

This study aims to investigate whether the combination of radiographs and computed tomography (CT) images can be used as an alternative means of magnetic resonance imaging examination or a preliminary screening method before examination, so as to improve the accuracy of determining the degree of posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar fracture patients. From May 2011 to May 2019, the patients with thoracolumbar fracture were collected. A total of 150 patients were enrolled. The reference standard was 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging examination and lipid suppression sequence was applied. All radiographs and CT imaging results were measured in the Picture Archiving and Communication System workstation. The upper endplate angle and lower endplate angle, the percentage of vertebral height drop, the difference of inter-spinous process distance on CT images and the translation distance were statistically significant between the 2 groups (P < .05). Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the diagnostic performance was excellent (all area under the curve > 0.7). To sum, the results showed that endplate angle + inter-spinous process distance on CT images combination had relatively high-quality diagnostic value for posterior ligamentous complex injury in thoracolumbar fracture patients.