Diagnostic value of computed tomography plus magnetic resonance imaging in assessing the benign and malignant nature of vertebral compression fractures.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the diagnostic efficacy of combining computed tomography (CT) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining whether vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are benign or malignant.

METHODS

From January 2020 to January 2025, 150 patients with single vertebral compression fractures who were admitted to our hospital were selected as study participants. According to the pathological findings, they were divided into the benign group (76 cases) and the malignant group (74 cases). All patients underwent MRI and CT examinations. The efficacy of the combined use of these two methods and the combined detection in differentiating the nature of vertebral compression fractures was analyzed.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed between the two groups in MRI signs such as the degree of vertebral body compression, the range of vertebral body lesions, the location of the lesions, the post-compression vertebral body morphology, pedicle morphology, the vertebral body soft tissue, the morphology and signal changes of the vertebral body veins (P < 0.05). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of the benign group was higher than that of the malignant group (P < 0.01). The combined diagnosis of CT and MRI demonstrated superior accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity than the individual diagnoses of CT and MRI (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combined use of MRI and CT exhibits relatively high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in differentiating the nature of vertebral compression fractures, and it has a good value in the identification of fracture types.