Background/Objectives: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) significantly impair
quality of life. This study evaluates the impact of STIR sequence MR imaging on clinical
decision-making for treating OVFs, mainly focusing on how MRI findings influence treatment
modifications compared to those based solely on CT scans. Methods: This retrospective
analysis reviewed cases from the Manninger Jenő National Traumatology Institute over
ten years, where patients with suspected OVFs underwent CT and STIR sequence MR imaging.
The study examined changes in treatment plans initiated by MRI findings. The diagnostic
effectiveness of MRI was compared against CT in terms of sensitivity, specificity,
and the ability to influence clinical treatment paths. Results: MRI detected 1.65
times more fractures than CT scans. MRI influenced treatment adjustments in 67% of
cases, leading to significant changes from conservative–conservative, conservative–surgery,
and surgery–surgery based on fracture characterizations provided by MRI. Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that integrating STIR sequence MR imaging into the diagnostic
pathway for OVFs significantly enhances the accuracy of fracture detection and profoundly
impacts treatment decisions. The ability of MRI to reveal specific fracture features
that are not detectable by CT scans supports its importance in the clinical evaluation
of OVFs, suggesting that MRI should be incorporated more into diagnostic protocols
to improve patient management and outcomes. The findings advocate for further research
to establish STIR MRI as a standard osteoporosis management tool and explore its long-term
benefits in preventing secondary fractures.
