Preoperative Assessment of Bone Density Using MRI-Based Vertebral Bone Quality Score Modified for Patients Undergoing Cervical Spine Surgery

Abstract

Study design: Diagnostic accuracy study. Objectives: Previous studies have reported the clinical application of the Vertebral Bone Quality (VBQ) scores for assessing bone density in operative lumbar spine patients. We aim to explore whether the method could be modified and applicable for patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. Methods: Adult patients receiving cervical spine surgery for degenerative diseases between September 2020 and March 2022 with non-contrast T1-weighted MRI and DEXA were included. Correlation between cervical VBQ scores and DEXA T-scores was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation. Student’s t test was used to present the discrepancy between the VBQ of patients with normal bone density (T ≥ -1.0) and patients with osteopenia/osteoporosis (T < -1.0). Statistical significance was set at P < -1.0) were included. Significant difference was found between the cervical VBQ between groups (2.99 ±.79 vs 3.80 ±.81, P