[Scoliosis and disability]

Upright standing radiographs of the entire spine, at times completed by supine radiographs, allow diagnosis and follow-up of scolioses to detect progression over time and enable timely intervention to avoid painful, esthetic, respiratory and cutaneous complications. Motor difficulties that may accompany severe scolioses may confine affected individuals to bed. Cross-sectional imaging with tridimensional reconstructions combined with myelographic MR imaging sequences allow complete evaluation of the disease and have alleviated the need for conventional myelography. Evaluation of the imaging data allows comprehensive patient management that may include therapy, image-guided spinal injections or surgery with the help of new titanium hardware enabling follow-up MRI.