Presentation
Fall from standing height.
Patient Data
Compression fracture of L1, with typical vertebra plana appearance.
Some height loss is also noted on D10.
Diffuse degenerative changes.
Case Discussion
It may be difficult to differentiate whether a spinal compression fracture is acute or chronic in a trauma scenario, especially with radiography alone.
Some findings suggestive of an acute fracture are:
cortical disruption
trabeculae impaction
These findings are not observed in this case, which is likely to represent a chronic fracture.
Chronic compression fractures are oftentimes asymptomatic and can represent an incidental finding, usually in the context of osteoporosis.