Measurement of vertebral rotation in standing versus supine position in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Thirty-three structural curves of 25 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were evaluated using computed tomography (CT) scans and plain radiography. The average Cobb angle on standing radiographs was 55.72 degrees and was observed to be corrected spontaneously to 39.42 degrees while the patients were in supine position (29.78% correction). Average apical rotation according to Perdriolle was 22.75 degrees on standing radiographs and 16.78 degrees on supine scanograms. The average rotation according to Aaro and Dahlborn on CT scans was 16.48 degrees. Radiographic measurements were significantly different from axial CT slice or scanogram measurements (p = 0.000), but the two latter measurements, both obtained in the supine position, did not appear to be different (p = 0.495). Deformities on the transverse plane as well as on the coronal plane are influenced by patient positioning. If the patient lies supine, the scoliosis curve corrects spontaneously to some degree on both planes. Measurements obtained from the scanograms by the Perdriolle method in the supine position are very similar to those obtained by CT. Perdriolle's is a simple, convenient, and reliable method to measure rotation on standing radiograms.