The use of CT Hounsfield unit values to identify the undiagnosed spinal osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases

PurposesOur purpose was to use computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield unit (HU) values to identify the undiagnosed spinal osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.MethodsA total of 334 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases were retrospectively reviewed and divided into two groups according to the degree of lumbar degenerative changes in preoperative lumbar CT images. Patients who had at least three vertebrae with severe degeneration at L1–L4 were placed in the degenerative group, and others were placed in the control group. HU value of trabecular bone in middle axial CT image of vertebral body, T-score and bone mineral density (BMD) at L1–L4 and hips were measured. CT HU thresholds for osteoporosis were obtained from control group and then applied to identify undiagnosed spinal osteoporosis.ResultsThere were 182 patients in the degenerative group and 152 patients in the control group. CT HU value had a positive correlation with T-score and BMD of lumbar spine in both groups (P < 0.001), while the correlation coefficients at L1–L4 were higher in the control group (> 0.7) than in the degenerative group (< 0.7). T-score and BMD of lumbar spine were higher in the degenerative group (P < 0.05), while CT HU value, T-score and BMD of hips had no significant difference between two groups. According to the linear regression equations of vertebral T-score and CT HU value in the control group, the thresholds matching T-score of − 2.5 were 110, 100, 85 and 80HU for L1, L2, L3 and L4, respectively. Defining CT osteoporosis as L1 ≤ 110HU or L2 ≤ 100HU or L3 ≤ 85HU or L4 ≤ 80HU was 88.5% (69/78) specific and 60.8% (45/74) sensitive for distinguishing DXA osteoporosis of lumbar spine in the control group. The rate of undiagnosed spinal osteoporosis was higher in the degenerative group than in the control group according to CT HU thresholds (38.7% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.05).ConclusionsDegenerative changes in the lumbar spine can increase BMD and T-score provided by lumbar DXA, leading to an underestimation of vertebral osteoporosis. Thresholds for osteoporosis based on CT HU values can be used as a complementary method to identify undiagnosed spinal osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.Graphical abstractThese slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.