Psoas muscle index is related to hip fracture in osteoporosis: a cross-sectional MRI study

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of psoas muscle in osteoporotic patients in lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and their relationship with hip fracture. Materials and methods One hundred seventy-seven patients with osteoporosis (63.69 +/- 9.677, 105 female) who had received lumbar spine MRI and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations were retrospectively included. Thickness (PMT), cross-sectional areas (CSA), and index (PMI) values were measured for psoas muscle at L3 level and psoas muscle characteristics were compared between hip fracture and control groups. Results PMT, CSA, and PMI values were statistically significantly different between hip fracture and control groups (respectively p < .001, p < .05, p < .01). The results showed that there was a significant association between being sarcopenic and having hip fracture (chi(2) (1, n = 117) = 4.57, p < .05, phi = .20). Conclusion PMT, CSA, and PMI might be associated with hip fracture in osteoporotic patients. However, this association is independent of bone mineral density (BMD). Psoas muscle features including PMT, CSA, and PMI should be used as significant predictors of falls and fractures in osteoporotic patients.