| Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) are the most common type of fragility fractures, mostly involving in the thoracolumbar region. Due to the population aging, the incidence of OVCF is steadily increasing, which leads to high morbidity and mortality and socioeconomic burden. OVCF has become an internationally acknowledged health concern. A reasonable and comprehensive clinical classification of OVCF is helpful for fracture risk assessment, early diagnosis, treatment selection, prognosis, and academic communication. Since 1960s, domestic and foreign scholars have reported a variety of different descriptive and prognostic classification or grading systems based on radiographs, CT, or MRI, but none has been internationally accepted. This article reviews the clinical application and advantages and disadvantages of the proposed OVCF classification and grading systems, providing a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of OVCF and the establishment of ideal classification. |