Magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the spine of a 78 year-old woman suffering from osteoporosis (brittle bone disease), revealing a collapsed vertebra

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Magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the spine of a 78 year-old woman suffering from osteoporosis (brittle bone disease), revealing a collapsed vertebra at T12 (the lowermost thoracic backbone). Bone debris compressing the spinal cord appears as a pale notch in the grey tone of the cord to the right of the backbone at upper centre. Osteoporosis describes a reduction in bone density, resulting in an increase in brittleness and a greater risk of fractures, particularly of the vertebrae & the head of the femur. Its higher incidence in women is attributed to a decline in hormone production following the menopause.

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Size: 3352px × 4867px
Photo credit: © SIMON FRASER/DEPT. OF NEURORADIOLOGY, NEWCASTLE GENERAL HOSPITAL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: bone, brittle, collapse, condition, disease, disorder, healthcare, medical, medicine, mri, osteopor., osteoporosis, scan, spine, thoracic, vertebral