Role and potential of artificial intelligence, robotics, and navigation-assisted technologies in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

In recent years, there has been a rise in fractures caused by osteoporosis. Such fractures significantly contribute to bone morbidity and place an increasing strain on global healthcare systems. Among them, osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) have shown a steady upward trend. There is an annual growth of roughly 4-5%, with age-adjusted incidence rates exceeding 850 per 100,000 individuals over five years. This trend portrays the necessity for improvement in OVCF diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Accordingly, there has been a recent surge in research, resulting in innovative technologies aimed at enhancing patient outcomes by improving diagnostic accuracy, reducing intraoperative radiation exposure, minimizing cement leakage, and optimizing postoperative recovery. These innovations span several areas, such as sophisticated imaging and navigation systems, virtual reality technology, 3D printing and robotic surgery techniques, and artificial intelligence (AI)-aided diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic tools. In this review, we summarize the status of knowledge regarding the role and potential of these digital orthopedic technologies involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of OVCFs in detail. Moreover, we highlight some of the current limitations, challenges and future directions that help develop new assistant techniques for these areas.