Objective

The present study is aimed to validate the ability of the vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score to evaluate bone quality in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) and to compare it with the ability of T-score by DXA. In addition, the sensitivity of VBQ score with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of L2 and L3 segments as baseline is evaluated.

Methods

196 inpatients were collected and assigned into OVCF and Non-OVCF groups, respectively. For each patient, the VBQ score was calculated by the signal intensity of the L1–L4 vertebral bodies and CSF at L3 or L2 level from T1-weighted MRIs, while T-score from DXA was also obtained. The VBQ and T-score was compared between OVCF and non-OVCF groups, and among age groups. The OVCF ORs by VBQ score and T-score were calculated using logistic regression.

Results

OVCF group was significantly different to the non-OVCF group in the T-score (− 2.9 vs. − 0.7) and VBQ score (4.0 vs. 3.5). VBQ score and T-score in patient aged 60–79 years old could indicate the bone quality, but only T-score in patients aged 50–59 years old. OVCF are associated with both higher VBQ score and lower T-score. The VBQ scores calculated by L2 CSF and L3 CSF were similar.

Conclusions

The VBQ score is an effective indicator of bone quality in OVCF patients and comparable to T-score, particularly in people over 60 years old. The VBQ score is not sensitive to CSF of different segments as a baseline.