One-Third of Vertebral Fractures Get Missed. (Radiologists' Reports Often Ambiguous).(Brief Article) From: Internal Medicine News | Date: December 1, 2001| Author: Kirn, Timothy F. | COPYRIGHT 2001 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

PHOENIX -- One-third of vertebral fractures evident on lateral x-ray are missed by radiologists or reported in an ambiguous manner to the primary care physician, according to the results of a multinational study

The rate of missed findings and spurious reports was even higher, at 41%, when the analysis was limited to data from the United States.

Those fractures go undiagnosed. Instead the patients should be properly evaluated and considered for bisphosphonate ...