• This fracture shown here is a compression type vertebral body fracture that may often appear as wedge shaped or be seen as loss of veretebral body height
  • Compression vertebral body fractures are often due to axial loading and can affect both or either endplate
  • There is increased risk if there is any pre-existing condition of osteoporosis or other cause for pathologic fracture
  • Of note, the junction between the thoracic spine and lumbar spine (thoracolumbar junction) would be the most common location of fractures that are traumatic in nature given that the thoracic spine is not as mobile as the lumbar spine

Source: Case contributed by Dr. Lisa Smith MD