Quantitative computed tomography discriminates between postmenopausal women with low spine bone mineral density with vertebral fractures and those with low spine bone mineral density only: the SHATTER study.

Summary Lumbar spine volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) measured using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) can discriminate between postmenopausal women with low areal BMD with and without vertebral fractures. QCT provides a 3D measure of BMD, excludes the vertebral posterior elements and accounts for bone size. This knowledge could contribute to effective treatment targeting of patients with low BMD.