A modified semi-quantitative (mSQ) grading scheme for osteoporotic vertebral fracture in elderly women

While osteoporotic vertebral fracture (oVF) is very common and has important clinical relevance, until recently there has been limited evidences to validate published criterium by which to make an accurate diagnosis of an oVF based on radiographs (1). Purely morphometric approach without qualitative, i.e., radiological, assessment of vertebral morphology can lead to both ‘over-call’ and ‘under-call’ of oVFs (1). In the early 90’s, Genant and colleagues at University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) proposed the semi-quantitative (SQ) grading scheme to evaluate osteoporotic vertebral deformity (oVD) (2).