Assessing the rotation of the spinal cord in idiopathic scoliosis: a preliminary report of MRI feasibility.
OBJECTIVE
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quantification of the rotation of the spinal cord in patients with thoracic idiopathic scoliosis could also be used to detect different spinal cord rotational patterns.


METHODS
Ten patients with a thoracic or thoracolumbar scoliosis had axial T2-weighted MRI. The rotation of the spinal cord and vertebra were measured. The rotational data of the spinal cord and vertebra was compared to other collated data using non-parametric tests.


RESULTS
The vertebral tile was measured from 3 degrees to 32 degrees and the spinal cord tilt was measured from 3 degrees to 39 degrees. The spinal cord tilt was statistically correlated with the Cobb angle and the antero-posterior or and transverse diameter of the spinal cord.


CONCLUSIONS
We showed that, even in case of moderate curve with very limited angular values and vertebral rotation, a significant spinal cord rotation occurred. However, our findings are very limited to discuss some hypothesis about scoliosis pathogeny or progression mechanism.
Dohn
Patrick
P
Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics, Armand Trousseau Hospital, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, 26, avenue du Docteur Arnold Netter, 75571, Paris Cedex 12, France.
Vialle
Raphaël
R
Thévenin-Lemoine
Camille
C
Balu
Marie
M
Lenoir
Thibault
T
Abelin
Karimane
K
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012399:Rotation; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000473:pathology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014102:Torsion Abnormality / Q000473:pathology*