
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Scoliosis overview
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Scoliosis is defined as a deviation of the normal vertical line of the spine, consisting of a lateral curvature with rotation of the vertebrae within the curve.[1] Typically, for scoliosis to be considered, there should be at least 10Β° of spinal angulation on the posterior-anterior radiograph associated with vertebral rotation (1). The causes of scoliosis vary and are classified broadly as congenital, neuromuscular, syndrome-related, idiopathic and spinal curvature due to secondary reasons. Congenital scoliosis is due to a vertebral abnormality causing the mechanical deviation of the normal spinal alignment. Scoliosis can be due to neurological conditions (eg, cerebral palsy or paralysis), muscular abnormalities (eg, Duchenne muscular dystrophy) or other syndromes (eg, Marfan’s syndrome and neurofibromatosis). Occasionally, significant lateral deviation of the spine can occur with little or no rotation of the spine and without bony abnormalities. In these cases, the scoliosis can be the result of pain, spinal cord abnormalities, tumors (both intraspinal and extraspinal) and infection.The natural history relates to the etiology and age at presentation, and usually dictates the treatment. However, it is the patientβs history, physical examination and radiographs that are critical in the initial evaluation of scoliosis and in determining which patients need additional evaluation and consideration.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rohan A. Bhimani, M.B.B.S., D.N.B., M.Ch.[2]
