Idiopathic scoliosis (crooked spine) can be a crippling disease in humans. A common form primarily affects adolescent girls. There is clear evidence that idiopathic scoliosis is inherited. However, in humans, the pattern of inheritance is not clear. Several years ago, Dr. L. W. Taylor of this department (Berkeley campus) developed an inbred strain of chickens in which up to 50 percent of the bi...

We undertook a comparative study of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vertebral morphometry of thoracic vertebrae of girls with adolescent idiopathic thoracic scoliosis (AIS) and age and gender-matched normal subjects, in order to investigate abnormal differential growth of the anterior and posterior elements of the thoracic vertebrae in patients with scoliosis. Previous studies have suggested t...

This paper presents a new study of the geometric structure of 3D spinal curves. The spine is considered as an heterogeneous beam, compound of vertebrae and intervertebral discs. The spine is modeled as a deformable wire along which vertebrae are beads rotating about the wire. 3D spinal curves are compound of plane regions connected together by zones of transition. The 3D spinal curve is uniquel...

The effects of pelvic asymmetry and idiopathic scoliosis on postural balance during sitting were studied by measuring inclination angles, pressure distribution, and electromyography. Participants were classified into a control group, pelvic asymmetry group, scoliosis group, and scoliosis with pelvic asymmetry and then performed anterior, posterior, left, and right pelvic tilting while sitting o...

BACKGROUND Back surface topography has gained acceptance in recent decades. At the same time, the motivation to use this technique has increased. From the view of the patient, the cosmetic aspect has played and still plays a major role as it provides a comprehensive documentation of cosmetic impairment. From the view of the medical practitioner, the aspect of reducing X-ray exposures in diagnos...

Introduction – aim The response of the intervertebral disc to asymmetric forces may accelerate degeneration through changes in the matrix. At a macroscopic level the disc sustains structural changes which may play a role in the progression of a scoliotic curve. At a molecular level, disc degeneration is the outcome of the action of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), members of a family of enzymes ...

INTRODUCTION We assessed clinical and etiological association between vestibular pathology and idiopathic scoliosis concerning seven members of three families with idiopathic scoliosis. CASE PRESENTATION The families were referred to neurotology center for evaluation of balance problems. Patients were evaluated thorough anamnesis to relevant vestibular and audiological studies in addition to ...

The distribution of continuous data can often be closely approximated by the normal distribution (1). For example, the distribution of Cobb angles for scoliotic females may be represented by a normal distribution with a notional mean (μ) = 15 degrees and a notional standard deviation (σ) = 5 degrees, and is shown in figure 1. By assuming that these Cobb angles follow a normal distribution, we a...

Severe idiopathic scoliosis may lead to respiratory failure, which can be treated by assisted ventilation. Twenty four patients with surgically untreated idiopathic scoliosis who had been examined in 1968 were re-examined in 1988 to assess changes in lung function and risk factors for respiratory failure. The patients were aged 15-67 years in 1968 and had a scoliotic angle of 10-190 degrees and...

STUDY DESIGN A prospective study in which patients with idiopathic scoliosis were examined longitudinally by radiographic and electromyographic measurements according to a protocol. OBJECTIVES To measure the growth velocity of the spine and the electromyographic ratio of the paraspinal muscles to determine their relation to progression of the scoliotic curve. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Seve...