Proportion of human vertebral body bone that is cancellous

The concept that vertebral fractures are caused by excessive loss of cancellous bone has been challenged by a recent study (J Bone Min Res 2:221, 1987) suggesting that vertebral bodies are composed mainly of cortical bone rather than cancellous bone. To resolve disagreement we used two independent methods to quantify the proportions of cortical and cancellous bone in 400 microns thick sections of the bodies of the second lumbar vertebrae from six men (aged 21-58 years) and seven women (aged 25-58 years). Based on the ash weight of the manually dissected components, 80% of the total bone in men and 72% in women was cancellous bone. Based on computer-assisted scanning of sections with a microdensitometer, 81% of the total bone in men and 71% in women was cancellous bone. We conclude that the traditional concept is correct: the vertebral body is composed mainly of cancellous bone.