 Introduction/Background Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) can be caused by benign clinical conditions such as osteoporosis, metabolic disorders, congenital disorders, infections, and acute trauma or neoplasms. Neoplasms may incorporate primary/secondary bone tumors and myeloma. Painful VCFs may cause a marked decline in physical activity and quality of life, leading to general physical deconditioning with increased psychological distress. This physical deconditioning, in turn, may prompt further complications related to poor inspiratory effort (ie, atelectasis and pneumonia) [1] and venous stasis (ie, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) [2]. Successful and timely management of painful VCFs can improve quality of life, increase the likelihood of an independent and productive life, and prevent superimposed medical complications. This document addresses the management of both osteoporotic and pathologic VCFs. Neoplasms causing VCFs include 1) primary benign bone neoplasms, such as hemangioma (aggressive type) or giant cell tumors [11], and tumor-like conditions causing bony and cellular remodeling, such as aneurysmal bone cysts, or Paget disease (osteitis deformans); 2) primary malignant neoplasms including but not limited to multiple myeloma and lymphoma; and 3) metastatic neoplasms [2,12,13]. Because the literature has focused predominantly aThomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. bResearch Author, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri. cMallinckrodt Institute of Radiology Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri. dFroedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ePanel Chair, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. fPanel Chair, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. gPanel Chair, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. hPanel Vice-Chair, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Management of Vertebral Compression Fractures PCAs.  Introduction/Background Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) can be caused by benign clinical conditions such as osteoporosis, metabolic disorders, congenital disorders, infections, and acute trauma or neoplasms. Neoplasms may incorporate primary/secondary bone tumors and myeloma. Painful VCFs may cause a marked decline in physical activity and quality of life, leading to general physical deconditioning with increased psychological distress. This physical deconditioning, in turn, may prompt further complications related to poor inspiratory effort (ie, atelectasis and pneumonia) [1] and venous stasis (ie, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) [2]. Successful and timely management of painful VCFs can improve quality of life, increase the likelihood of an independent and productive life, and prevent superimposed medical complications. This document addresses the management of both osteoporotic and pathologic VCFs. Neoplasms causing VCFs include 1) primary benign bone neoplasms, such as hemangioma (aggressive type) or giant cell tumors [11], and tumor-like conditions causing bony and cellular remodeling, such as aneurysmal bone cysts, or Paget disease (osteitis deformans); 2) primary malignant neoplasms including but not limited to multiple myeloma and lymphoma; and 3) metastatic neoplasms [2,12,13]. Because the literature has focused predominantly aThomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. bResearch Author, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri. cMallinckrodt Institute of Radiology Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri. dFroedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ePanel Chair, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. fPanel Chair, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. gPanel Chair, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida. hPanel Vice-Chair, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.