[Morphometric characteristics of the scoliotic spine]

Results from a morphometric investigation performed on a rare complete scoliotic specimen are presented. The aim of the study is to describe the vertebral body wedging.

The specimen used in the study presented a thoracic curve of 150 degrees Cobb angle with the apex at T8. The measures were made using 3D-computer graphics models. The wedging in the frontal and sagittal planes as well as the 3D wedging were measured. The height variation of the vertebral bodies was also measured.

The wedging measures show that it increases progressively with the vertebral level to reach a maximum of 27 degrees at the apex. Perdriolle has found a linear relation between the vertebral body wedging and the Cobb angle. The relation predicts a wedging of 24 degrees for 150 degrees of Cobb angle. An inflection point was identified on the vertebral end plate on the convex side. These inflection points were described by Perdriolle as being on the concave side of the vertebra.

Our measures follow the relation between the Cobb angle and the wedging of the vertebral body, even for very large Cobb angles. Furthermore, inflection points on the vertebral body were identified on the convex side as opposed to the concave side in the literature. This leads us to believe that the vertebral body wedging progressively affects the vertebral endplates.