European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Comparative Study
Comparison between Oxford Cobbmeter and digital Cobbmeter for measurement of Cobb angle in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
The purpose of this study was to compare Cobb angle measurements performed using an Oxford Cobbmeter and digital Cobbmeter in a series of 20 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. ⋯ We conclude that the smart phone with integrated Tiltmeter and Cobbmeter application is an equivalent Cobb measurement tool to the Oxford Cobbmeter. The advantages of smart phone are the accuracy of determining the most inclined vertebrae and accordingly more precise Cobb angle measurement. The new smart phones with these integrated applications may be really helpful to the spine surgeons, especially in hospitals where PACS or Oxford Cobbmeter is not available.
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As accurate and reproducible measurements of spinal curvature are crucial in the examination of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), this systematic review aims to report on the reliability and validity of a range of inexpensive and easily administered anthropometric methods of postural asymmetry measurement in an AIS population, to inform practice in a clinical setting. ⋯ Overall, strong levels of evidence exist for iPhone and scoliometer measurements, with a high to very high reliability and moderate to very high validity. Moderate levels of evidence exist for scoliometer with mathematical formula and clinical examination with moderate and low validity, respectively. Limited evidence exists for aesthetic tools TRACE and AI and 2D photography. These results indicate there are accurate and reproducible anthropometric measures that are inexpensive and applicable in therapy settings to assess postural asymmetry; however, these only exist for measurement in the transverse plane, despite 3D characteristics of AIS. Further research is required into an inexpensive and easily administered method that can assess postural asymmetry in all anatomical planes.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of spinal deformity in children with Chiari I malformation with and without syringomyelia: matched cohort study.
To describe curve patterns in patients with Chiari malformation I (CIM) without syringomyelia, and compare to patients with Chiari malformation with syringomyelia (CIM + SM). ⋯ In the largest series specifically evaluating CIM and scoliosis, we found that these patients appear to present with fewer atypical curve features, with less severe scoliotic curves, fewer apex left curves, and fewer related neurological abnormalities than CIM + SM. Notably, equivalent thoracic kyphosis was observed in both groups. Future studies are needed to better understand pathogenesis of spinal deformity in CIM with and without SM.
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To characterize the sagittal alignment of each Lenke type and investigate the relationship between coronal and sagittal deformities in adolescent idiopathic scoliotic (AIS) patients. ⋯ The influence of coronal deformity on sagittal parameters was limited and mainly reflected in the deviation of TK. Most coronal and sagittal parameters were not significantly correlated, and the coronal deformity types did not change the global sagittal postural patterns.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the scoliosis curve patterns and MRI syrinx cord characteristics of idiopathic syringomyelia versus Chiari I malformation.
Although the more readily available MR imaging has brought about more incidental findings of idiopathic syringomyelia (IS), no published study has specifically addressed the clinical and imaging features of IS-associated scoliosis. Since IS and Chiari I malformation (CMI)-type syringomyelia are hypothesized to share a common underlying developmental pathomechanism, this study aimed to investigate the scoliosis curve patterns and MRI syrinx cord characteristics of patients with IS comparing with those seen in CMI. ⋯ Radiological characteristics of scoliosis were found to be similar between idiopathic and CMI-type syrinx in both the coronal and sagittal planes, adding further evidence to the concept that these entities may be part of a spectrum of disease sharing a common pathophysiological mechanism. The thoracic spine in IS patients tended to be convex to the deviated side of syrinx, which indirectly supported the likely role of spinal cord dysfunction in the pathogenesis of syrinx-associated spinal deformities.