Background: Scoliosis is the most common type of spinal deformity. A universal and standard method for evaluating scoliosis is Cobb angle measurement, but several studies have shown that there is intra- and inter- observer variation in measuring cobb angle manually.Objective: Develop a computer- assisted system to decrease operator-dependent errors in Cobb angle measurement.Methods: The spinal cord in the given x-ray image of the spine is highlighted using contract-stretching technique. The overall structural curvature of the spine is determined by a semi-automatic algorithm aided by the operator. Once the morphologic curve of the spine is determined, in the last step the cobb-angle is estimated by calculating the angle between two normal lines to the spinal curve at the inflection points of the curve.Results: Evaluation results of the developed algorithms using 14 radiographs of patients ( 4 - 40 years old) with cobb angle ranges from 34 - 82 degrees, revealed that the developed algorithm accurately estimated cobb angle. Statistical analysis showed that average angle values estimated using the developed method and that provided by experts are statistically equal. The correlation coefficient between the angle values estimated using the developed algorithm and those provided by the expert is 0.81.Conclusion: Compared with previous algorithms, the developed system is easy to use, less operator-dependent, accurate, and reliable. The obtained results are promising and show that the developed computer-based system could be used to quantify scoliosis by measuring Cobb angle.
BackgroundSeveral reports have suggested low bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). We determined bone mineral status in patients with AIS to evaluate the effect of brace treatment on BMD.MethodsBMD was measured in 46 patients (mean age, 17.8 ± 4.9 years) with AIS (17 with brace and 29 without brace) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan and compared the results to an age-matched (mean age, 16.6 ± 3.9 years) control group (n = 54).ResultsThe AIS group had significantly lower bone mass at the lumbar spine (Z-score, -1.500 vs. -0.832) and hip (Z-score, -1.221 vs. -0.754) except at the femoral neck. No difference in BMD was found between patients with AIS who used a brace and those who did not.ConclusionsThe results confirmed that BMD was low in AIS patients and it was not affected by brace treatment.
Background:
To assess the efficacy of ethanol as an adjuvant in the treatment of unicameral bone cyst (UBC). Materials and
Methods:
Surgically treated patients with UBC lesion were reviewed. Definite treatment of UBC lesions was conducted using a combined four-step alcohol-using approach, consisted of curettage, burring, ethanol 96%, and electrocauterization of the lesion, consecutively.
Results:
Twenty-one patients (mean age 14, range: 2–30, male 62%) were followed from 1 to 10 years. Among 18 cases, only one recurrence was seen in a 5-year-old boy with UBC of the left calcaneus.
Conclusions:
Using ethanol as an adjuvant may be a good choice for treatment of UBC lesions.
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