Abstract
Radiographic evaluation has been a key component of the scoliosis workup since the advent of the x-ray. The development of Cobb angles and other coronal deformity measurements have proven invaluable in the management of juvenile deformity. In adults, however, sagittal alignment has been shown to be better predictive of outcomes than coronal scoliosis. The natural curvature of the spine and its variability from patient to patient cloud the evaluation and treatment of sagittal deformity. The intertwined relationship between the spine and the pelvis further complicates the management of this disease. The pelvis and the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine, together with the lower limbs and head, form a “chain of interdependence” that must be considered for each patient. As a result, radiographic parameters have been established and evaluated through the prism of patient-reported outcomes to help guide surgeons in managing this complex, full body pathology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Berthonnaud E, Dimnet J, Roussouly P, Labelle H. Analysis of the sagittal balance of the spine and pelvis using shape and orientation parameters. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2005;18:40–7. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15687851.
Boulay C, Tardieu C, Hecquet J, Benaim C, Mouilleseaux B, Marty C, et al. Sagittal alignment of spine and pelvis regulated by pelvic incidence: standard values and prediction of lordosis. Eur Spine J. 2006;15:415–22. Available: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3489325&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract. Accessed 18 Nov 2013.
Dubousset J. Three-dimensional analysis of the scoliotic deformity. In: Weinstien SL, editor. The pediatric spine: principles and practices, vol. 1994. New York: Raven Press; 1994. p. 479–96 .Available: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&btnG=Search&q=intitle:Three-Dimensional+Analysis+of+the+Scoliotic+Deformity#0. Accessed 5 Dec 2014.
Duval-Beaupère G, Schmidt C, Cosson P. A barycentremetric study of the sagittal shape of spine and pelvis: the conditions required for an economic standing position. Ann Biomed Eng. 1992;20:451–62. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1510296. Accessed 17 Nov 2014.
Farcy J-P, Schwab FJ. Management of flatback and related kyphotic decompensation syndromes. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1997;22:2452–7. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9355229.
Gelb DE, Lenke LG, Bridwell KH, Blanke K, McEnery KW. An analysis of sagittal spinal alignment in 100 asymptomatic middle and older aged volunteers. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1995;20:1351–8. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7676332. Accessed 23 Aug 2013.
Glassman SD, Berven S, Bridwell K, Horton W, Dimar JR. Correlation of radiographic parameters and clinical symptoms in adult scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005;30:682–8. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15770185. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
Glassman SD, Bridwell K, Dimar JR, Horton W, Berven S, Schwab FJ. The impact of positive sagittal balance in adult spinal deformity. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005;30:2024–9. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16166889. Accessed 17 Nov 2014.
Harrington PR. Treatment of scoliosis. Correction and internal fixation by spine instrumentation. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1962;44-A:591–610. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11861739. Accessed 28 July 2014.
Jackson RP, Kanemura T, Kawakami N, Hales C. Lumbopelvic lordosis and pelvic balance on repeated standing lateral radiographs of adult volunteers and untreated patients with constant low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000;25:575–86. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10749634.
Jackson RP, McManus AC. Radiographic analysis of sagittal plane alignment and balance in standing volunteers and patients with low back pain matched for age, sex, and size. a prospective controlled clinical study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1994;19:1611–8. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7939998. Accessed 23 Aug 2013.
Jackson RP, Peterson MD, McManus AC, Chris H, Hales C. Compensatory spinopelvic balance over the hip axis and better reliability in measuring lordosis to the pelvic radius on standing lateral radiographs of adult volunteers and patients. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998;23:1750–67. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9728376. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
King HA, Moe JH, Bradford DS, Winter RB. The selection of fusion levels in thoracic idiopathic scoliosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1983;65:1302–13. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6654943. Accessed 23 Aug 2013.
Koller H, Pfanz C, Meier O, Hitzl W, Mayer M, Bullmann V, et al. Factors influencing radiographic and clinical outcomes in adult scoliosis surgery: a study of 448 European patients. Eur Spine J. 2015. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25917822. Accessed 30 Apr 2015.
Lafage V, Schwab FJ, Patel A, Hawkinson N, Farcy J-P. Pelvic tilt and truncal inclination: two key radiographic parameters in the setting of adults with spinal deformity. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009;34:E599–606. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19644319. Accessed 26 Aug 2014.
Legaye J, Duval-Beaupère G, Hecquet J, Marty C. Pelvic incidence: a fundamental pelvic parameter for three-dimensional regulation of spinal sagittal curves. Eur Spine J. 1998;7:99–103. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9629932. Accessed 18 Nov 2014.
Lenke LG, Betz RR, Harms J, Bridwell KH, Clements DH, Lowe TG, et al. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a new classification to determine extent of spinal arthrodesis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001;83-A:1169–81. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11507125. Accessed 23 Aug 2013.
Mac-Thiong J-MM, Labelle H, Berthonnaud E, Betz RR, Roussouly P. Sagittal spinopelvic balance in normal children and adolescents. Eur Spine J. 2007;16:227–34. Available: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2200687&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract. Accessed 23 Aug 2013.
Oh T, Scheer JK, Eastlack R, Smith JS, Lafage V, Protopsaltis TS, et al. Cervical compensatory alignment changes following correction of adult thoracic deformity: a multicenter experience in 57 patients with a 2-year follow-up. J Neurosurg Spine. 2015;22:1–8. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793468. Accessed 3 May 2015.
Passias PG, Soroceanu A, Smith J, Boniello A, Yang S, Scheer JK, et al. Postoperative cervical deformity in 215 thoracolumbar patients with adult spinal deformity: prevalence, risk factors, and impact on patient-reported outcome and satisfaction at 2-year follow-up. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015;40:283–91. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25901975. Accessed 5 May 2015.
Ponseti IV, Friedman B. Prognosis in idiopathic scoliosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1950;32A:381–95. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15412180. Accessed 11 Aug 2014.
Protopsaltis TS, Scheer JK, Terran JS, Smith JS, Hamilton DK, Kim HJ, et al. How the neck affects the back: changes in regional cervical sagittal alignment correlate to HRQOL improvement in adult thoracolumbar deformity patients at 2-year follow-up. J Neurosurg Spine. 2015;23:153–8. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25978077.
Protopsaltis TS, Schwab FJ, Bronsard N, Smith JS, Klineberg E, Mundis G, et al. The t1 pelvic angle, a novel radiographic measure of global sagittal deformity, accounts for both spinal inclination and pelvic tilt and correlates with health-related quality of life. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2014;96:1631–40. Available:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25274788. Accessed 7 Nov 2014.
Protopsaltis T, Schwab F, Smith JS, Klineberg E, Mundis G, Hostin R, et al. The T1 Pelvic Angle (TPA), a novel radiographic measure of sagittal deformity, accounts for both pelvic retroversion and truncal inclination and correlates strongly with HRQOL. Scoliosis Res Soc Lyon, Fr Sept 18–21:2013.
Roussouly P, Gollogly S, Berthonnaud E, Dimnet J. Classification of the normal variation in the sagittal alignment of the human lumbar spine and pelvis in the standing position. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005;30:346–53. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15682018.
Ryan DJ, Protopsaltis TS, Ames CP, Hostin R, Klineberg E, Mundis GM, et al. T1 Pelvic Angle (TPA) Effectively Evaluates Sagittal Deformity and Assesses Radiographical Surgical Outcomes Longitudinally. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014;39:1203–10. Available: http://content.wkhealth.com/linkback/openurl?sid=WKPTLP:landingpage&an=00007632-201407010-00012.
Schwab FJ, Blondel B, Bess S, Hostin R, Shaffrey CI, Smith JS, et al. Radiographical spinopelvic parameters and disability in the setting of adult spinal deformity: a prospective multicenter analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013;38:E803–12. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23722572. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Farcy J-P, Bridwell KH, Glassman SD, Ondra S, et al. Surgical rates and operative outcome analysis in thoracolumbar and lumbar major adult scoliosis: application of the new adult deformity classification. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007;32:2723–30. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18007252.
Schwab FJ, Smith VA, Biserni M, Gamez L, Farcy J-PC, Pagala M. Adult scoliosis: a quantitative radiographic and clinical analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002;27:387–92. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11840105. Accessed 3 Apr 2015.
Schwab FJ, Ungar B, Blondel B, Buchowski J, Coe J, Deinlein D, et al. Scoliosis Research Society-Schwab adult spinal deformity classification: a validation study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012;37:1077–82. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22045006. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
Slobodyanyuk K, Poorman CE, Smith JS, Protopsaltis TS, Hostin R, Bess S, et al. Clinical improvement through nonoperative treatment of adult spinal deformity: who is likely to benefit? Neurosurg Focus. 2014;36:E2. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24785484.
Smith JS, Klineberg E, Schwab F, Shaffrey CI, Moal B, Ames CP, et al. Change in classification grade by the SRS-schwab adult spinal deformity classification predicts impact on health-related quality of life measures: prospective analysis of operative and non-operative treatment. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013;38:1663–71. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23759814. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
Smith JS, Lafage V, Schwab FJ, Shaffrey CI, Protopsaltis T, Klineberg E, et al. Prevalence and type of cervical deformity among 470 adults with throacolumbar deformity. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014;39:1001–9. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24859571. Accessed 27 May 2014.
Smith JS, Shaffrey CI, Lafage V, Blondel B, Schwab FJ, Hostin R, et al. Spontaneous improvement of cervical alignment after correction of global sagittal balance following pedicle subtraction osteotomy. J Neurosurg Spine. 2012;17:300–7. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22860879.
Stagnara P, De Mauroy JC, Dran G, Gonon GP, Costanzo G, Dimnet J, et al. Reciprocal angulation of vertebral bodies in a sagittal plane: approach to references for the evaluation of kyphosis and lordosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1982;7:335–42. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7135066. Accessed 12 Aug 2013.
Stokes IA, DD A. Identifying sources of variability in scoliosis classification using a rule-based automated algorithm. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002;27:2801–5.
Van Royen BJ, Toussaint HM, Kingma I, Bot SD, Caspers M, Harlaar J, et al. Accuracy of the sagittal vertical axis in a standing lateral radiograph as a measurement of balance in spinal deformities. Eur Spine J. 1998;7:408–12. Available: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3611289&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract.
Vaz G, Roussouly P, Berthonnaud E, Dimnet J. Sagittal morphology and equilibrium of pelvis and spine. Eur Spine J. 2002;11:80–7. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15614978. Accessed 8 Mar 2015.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Reid, P., Varghese, J., Lafage, V. (2017). Radiographic Parameters of Adult Lumbar Scoliosis. In: Klineberg, E. (eds) Adult Lumbar Scoliosis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47709-1_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47709-1_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47707-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47709-1
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)