Paravertebral soft tissue swelling on magnetic resonance images helps in differentiation between osteoporotic and malignant vertebral fractures

Table 1 Paravertebral soft tissue swelling in osteoporotic and malignant vertebral compression fractures

Vertebral compression	Soft tissue swelling	Irregular nodule	Total
Benign	153	0	153
Malignant	12	51	63
Total	165	51	216

Soft tissue swelling beneath the anterior longitudinal ligament was significantly more common in osteoporotic than in malignant vertebral fractures. χ² = 162.140, P < 0.0001, 95%CI: 3.156-8.735.

Table 2 Number of vertebral segments involved in soft tissue swelling on sagittal magnetic resonance images in osteoporotic and malignant vertebral compression fractures

Vertebral compression	Multiple vertebral segments	Simple vertebral segment	Total
Benign	153	0	153
Malignant	10	2	12
Total	163	2	165

χ² = 25.813, P = 0.005, 95%CI: 0.932-1.546.

Table 3 Thickness of soft tissue swelling in osteoporotic and malignant vertebral compression fractures

	Thickness in osteoporotic vertebral fracture (mm)	Thickness in malignant vertebral fracture (mm)	P value
Soft tissue swelling	5.62 ± 2.50	3.88 ± 1.73	0.017