Evaluation method for deformity associated with thoracolumbar fracture

Radiographic method for evaluating the deformity associated with a thoracolumbar fracture. The kyphosis may be assessed by determining the Cobb angle, defined by the angle of intersection between the superior endplate of the vertebra cephalad to the fracture (T12, dashed line) and the inferior endplate of the caudal vertebra (L2, dashed line). Similarly, the amount of collapse may be calculated by measuring the heights of both the anterior and posterior margins (A, B) of the fractured body and expressing them as percentages of the corresponding values derived from the adjacent, uninjured segments using the formulas listed above.