Lumbar vertebral fracture on X‑ray: 3 real cases

Real, openly licensed radiographs showing lumbar vertebral fracture. Study what to look for, then open each case and read it yourself before revealing the answer.

What to look for

Loss of anterior height with the posterior height preserved.

Learn: Thoracolumbar fractures

Quiz yourself on spine images

Cases

$Radiograph from the case bank: Lumbar vertebral fracture$ Case #151866582Spine · Intermediate $Radiograph from the case bank: Lumbar vertebral fracture$ Case #151866583Spine · Intermediate $Radiograph from the case bank: Lumbar vertebral fracture$ Case #6337636Spine · Intermediate

Other spine diagnoses

Ankylosing spondylitis
Degenerative spondylosis
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH)
Scoliosis
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolysis (pars defect)

Diagnoses come from each image's documented source. Credits and licences are shown on each case and on the image credits page.