[Definition and classification of osteoporotic vertebral fracture].

Vertebral fracture in osteoporosis has been critically analyzed. Prevalent fracture is defined by the morphometry on the spinal radiographs of lateral projection, following the visual semi-quantitative diagnosis. Incident fracture is defined by the changes in the values of morphometrical parameters on radiographs of two time points with a certain interval. Clinical vertebral fracture is not defined morphometrically, but acute clinical symptoms and semi-quantitative assessments are required for diagnosis. Discrimination of these three types of fracture is useful in the epidemiological studies and clinical trials for osteoporosis.