CT Clarity: Endplate Hounsfield Units Predict Cage Subsidence

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Let’s face it—nothing ruins your perfect posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) like a sunken cage. Despite our best efforts, cage subsidence remains a frustrating complication for spine surgeons. But what if you could spot the problem before even picking up the scalpel?

A new study published July 14, 2025, in the European Spine Journal offers exactly that kind of foresight. According to researchers at Capital Medical University in Beijing, measuring endplate Hounsfield units (HU) on preoperative CT scans outperforms traditional bone quality assessments in predicting who’s headed for a cage collapse.