title: Imaging of painful scoliosis.
abstract: Scoliosis is defined as a lateral deviation of the spine from the normal plumb line. Commonly, there is a rotational component and deviation also in the sagittal plane (kyphosis or hyperlordosis). When scoliosis presents in adults, it is often painful. In contrast, back pain in a child is considered rare, and serious underlying pathology should be excluded, particularly since idiopathic scoliosis is typically painless. A painful scoliosis in a child or adolescent, especially if the patient has a left-sided curve, should be examined thoroughly. The aim of this review is to illustrate the causes of a painful scoliosis in children, adolescents and adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex, London HA7 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: Alun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Asif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saifuddin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology