Abstract: Objective  To evaluate the diffusion distribution of bone cement in the vertebral body by quadrant method,and to analyze and evaluate the correlation between the diffusion distribution type of bone cement and new vertebral fractures after vertebral augmentation.Methods  A total of 170 subjects who met the conditions from January 2020 to December 2021 were collected.According to the anteroposterior and lateral view of the spine,the injured vertebra was divided into four quadrants,and divided into homogeneous diffusion group and uneven diffusion group according to the postoperative diffusion distribution of bone cement in the injured vertebra.The incidence and types of refracture were followed up,and the VAS score and Cobb angle were compared between the two groups.Results 170 patients were followed up for at least 12 months,including 90 patients in homogeneous diffusion group and 80 patients in heterogeneous diffusion group.There were 33 cases of refracture(19.41%),12 cases of refracture(13.33%) in the diffuse homogeneous group,and 21 cases of refracture(26.25%) in the diffuse heterogeneous group,and the difference between the groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).The site of refracture in the diffuse homogeneous group was mainly the clinical vertebral fracture,while the probability of refracture in the diffuse heterogeneous clinical vertebra and the operated vertebra was similar.The incidence of postoperative bone cement leakage in the diffuse homogeneous group was significantly lower than that in diffuse heterogeneous group(P＜0.05).The VAS score and Cobb angle were significantly improved in both groups after surgery and at the last follow-up compared with those before surgery,but there was no significant difference between groups.Conclusion The incidence of new vertebral fractures after vertebroplasty is closely related to the type of cement diffusion,and the risk of refracture defined as uneven cement diffusion by quadrant method is high.

Key words: quadrant method, vertebroplasty, osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, type of cement distribution