Spine deformity index (SDI) versus other objective procedures of vertebral fracture identification in patients with osteoporosis: a comparative study.

Radiologic identification of vertebral fractures is most important in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with spinal osteoporosis. Different methods, using vertebral height measurements for fracture identification, have therefore been developed. We compared four methods for fracture identification in spinal x-rays of 62 female patients with primary osteoporosis.

A newly developed spine deformity index (SDI) to quantitate vertebral crush fractures in patients with osteoporosis.

The available methods to quantitate vertebral deformity in osteoporotics are not satisfactory in comparing follow-up measurements in patients. This paper describes a newly developed 'spine deformity index' (SDI) which allows the quantitation of the extent of vertebral fractures. It is based on the observation that, in 110 normal persons, the heights of all vertebral bodies were related to each other in a predictable and constant manner.