eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Medical Case Reports 2374-216X 2021-09-24 9 12 717 718 10.12691/ajmcr-9-12-14 AJMCR202191214 article Ken-ichi Muramatsu 1 Youichi Yanagawa yyanaga@juntendo.ac.jp 1 Kei Jitsuiki 1 Hiroki Nagasawa 1 Kazuhiko Omori 1 Department of Acute Critical Care Medicine, Shizuoka Hospital, Juntendo University The patient was a 77-year-old man whose head and back impacted the ground after falling from a stepladder. On arrival, plain roentgenography and whole body computed tomography failed to depict a responsible spinal lesion. As he could walk, his wound was sutured and he was discharged to home. However, on the following day, he was unable to stand due to severe back pain. Urgent magnetic resonance image (MRI) revealed a high-intensity signal in the 12th thoracic vertebral body without compressive deformity. Follow-up roentgenography at 10 days showed compressive change at the 12th thoracic vertebral body; thus, a corset was applied at the thoracolumbar position. Final lumbar roentgenography at 6 months revealed compression of the thoracic vertebral body. In the present case an elderly patient, who initially showed a bone bruise, showed delayed compressive changes in the thoracic vertebral body. In our super-aging society, further studies are required to investigate the natural history of vertebral body bruises in elderly individuals. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmcr/9/12/14/ajmcr-9-12-14.pdf vertebral body bruise compressive fracture