pediatrics
Idiopathic Scoliosis
Diagnosis of Idiopathic Scoliosis
X-ray of the spine The curve is most pronounced when patients bend forward. Most curves are convex to the right in the thoracic area and to the left in the lumbar area, so that the right shoulder is higher than the left. X-ray examination should include standing anteroposterior and lateral views of the spine. In the Cobb method, two lines are drawn on a posterior-anterior x-ray of the spine, one extending from the top of the most tilted upper vertebra and the other from the bottom of the most tilted lower vertebra. The angle formed by these lines is the Cobb angle. The amount of curvature is quantified in degrees based on x-ray findings (the Cobb method). In this method, two lines are drawn on a posterior-anterior x-ray of the spine, one extending from the top of the most tilted upper vertebra and the other from the bottom of the most tilted lower vertebra. The angle formed by these lines is the Cobb angle. 