The value of standard chest radiography in the diagnosis of scoliosis

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits and limitations of chest radiographs in scoliosis screening and to compare these results with spine orthoroentgenogram.Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective, repeated cross-sectional evaluation of 5160 digital standing posterior-anterior chest x-rays of patients, ages from 21 to 44 years old, obtained at our institution. The chest radiography was taken to the hospital for military check-ups. All posterior-anterior chest radiographs between January 2016 and December 2017 were gathered. We compared the spinal curvature types and Cobb angles detected in the chest radiographs (n=62) with the curvature types and Cobb angles detected on spine orthoroentgenogram radiographs.Results: According to the type of major spinal curvature, overall matching of chest x-ray with the radiography of the spine orthoroentgenogram was 71% (44 of 62 cases). Measured mean Cobb angle on the chest x-rays and spine orthoroentgenogram was 9.8 (5.4) and 12.8 (6.5) respectively (p=0.009). Chest radiographs were 81% sensitivity and 50% specificity according to spine orthoroentgenogram, which was accepted as the gold standard in the diagnosis of scoliosis according to the spinal curvature.Conclusions: The data obtained in our study can be considered as a valuable reference in the consultation of asymptomatic thoracic scoliosis detected on the routine chest radiograph and the necessity of examination of the axial skeletal with spine orthoroentgenogram.