Comparison of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebral bone quality scores for increased utility of bone mineral density screening

To evaluate the associations among the validated lumbar vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score, and cervical and thoracic VBQ scores.Radiographic records of 100 patients who underwent synchronous MRI of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine were retrieved. DEXA-validated lumbar VBQ was calculated using median signal intensity (MSI) of the L1-L4 vertebrae and L3 CSF. VBQ was derived as the quotient of MSIMean cervical, thoracic, and lumbar VBQ scores were 3.06 ± 0.89, 2.60 ± 0.77, and 2.47 ± 0.61, respectively. Mean differences of .127 (p = 0.045) and - 0.595 (p 0.001) were observed between thoracic and lumbar, and cervical and lumbar VBQ scores. Correlations of 0.324, 0.356, and 0.600 (p 0.001) were found between cervical and lumbar, cervical and thoracic, and thoracic and lumbar VBQ scores. Regression with ANOVA predicting lumbar VBQ in relation to cervical and thoracic VBQ demonstrated R Square values of 0.105 and 0.360 (p 0.001), and β coefficient values of 0.471 and 0.217 (p 0.001), respectively.Thoracic VBQ provides values representative of the validated lumbar VBQ score. Cervical VBQ scores are distinct from lumbar VBQ scores and do not provide adequate surrogate values of lumbar VBQ.