Deep learning model for automated detection of fresh and old vertebral fractures on thoracolumbar CT

Purpose: To develop a deep learning system for automatic segmentation of compression fracture vertebral bodies on thoracolumbar CT and differentiate between fresh and old fractures.

Methods: We included patients with thoracolumbar fractures treated at our Hospital South Campus from January 2020 to December 2023, with prospective validation from January to June 2024, and used data from the North Campus from January to December 2023 for external validation. Fresh fractures were defined as back pain lasting less than 4 weeks, with MRI showing bone marrow edema (BME). We utilized a 3D V-Net for image segmentation and several ResNet and DenseNet models for classification, evaluating performance with ROC curves, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, and AUC. The optimal model was selected to construct deep learning system and its diagnostic efficacy was compared with that of two clinicians.

Results: The training dataset included 238 vertebras (man/women: 55/183; age: 72.11 ± 11.55), with 59 in internal validation (man/women: 13/46; age: 74.76 ± 8.96), 34 in external validation, and 48 in prospective validation. The 3D V-Net model achieved a DSC of 0.90 on the validation dataset. ResNet18 performed best among classification models, with an AUC of 0.96 in validation, 0.89 in external dataset, and 0.87 in prospective validation, surpassing the two clinicians in both external and prospective validations.

Conclusion: The deep learning model can automatically and accurately segment the vertebral bodies with compression fractures and classify them as fresh or old fractures, thereby assisting clinicians in making clinical decisions.