We describe a 74-year-old woman who presented with referred thigh pain associated with multiple osteonecroses of the T12, L1 and L2 vertebrae. Magnetic resonance imaging was found to be a valuable diagnostic aid, revealing signs of spinal cord and nerve root compression related to the collapsed vertebrae. Biopsy of T12 confirmed the benign nature of the vertebral compression fracture. Our patient also showed histologically documented osteoporosis.