Density and mechanical properties of vertebral trabecular bone—A review

Being able to predict the mechanical properties of vertebrae in patients with osteoporosis and other relevant pathologies is essential to prevent fractures and to develop the most favorable fracture treatments. Furthermore, a reliable prediction is important for developing more patient‐ and pathology‐specific biomaterials. A plethora of studies correlating bone density to mechanical properties has been reported; however, the results are variable, due to a variety of factors, including anatomical site and methodological differences. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive literature review on density and mechanical properties of human vertebral trabecular bone as well as relationships found between these properties. A literature search was performed to include studies, which investigated mechanical properties and bone density of trabecular bone. Only studies on vertebral trabecular bone tissue, reporting bone density or mechanical properties, were kept.