title: Are intraspinal anomalies in early onset idiopathic scoliosis as common as once thought? A two centre United Kingdom study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rates of neural axis abnormalities in infantile and juvenile idiopathic scoliosis may be as high as 50 %. We aimed to determine the rates of neural axis abnormalities in early onset idiopathic scoliosis patients in a British population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study at two British spinal deformity clinics identified 72 patients satisfying the inclusion criteria of: (1) age at diagnosis of 7 years and younger, (2) idiopathic scoliosis and (3) magnetic resonance imaging of the neuraxis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at diagnosis was 3.6 years and the mean Cobb angle was 47° with a near equal distribution of left (32) and right (36) sided curves. Eight (11.1 %) neural axis abnormalities consisting of two syrinxes, one Arnold-chiari Type I malformation and five combined (Arnold-chiari malformation Type I and syrinx) anomalies were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This multi-centre study on the largest number of British subjects to date helps to establish the rates of neural axis abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Spine Surgery, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, SE3 7NU, UK. togay.koc@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Togay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.forename: Khai S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000150:complications*; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology