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Towards a new 3D classification for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

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Abstract

Study design

Retrospective analysis of consecutive cases.

Objectives

To identify clinically relevant three-dimensional (3D) sub-groups for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Summary of background data

Classifications for AIS are developed to assist surgeons in surgical planning and therapeutic management. However, current systems are based on two-dimensional (2D) parameters that do not completely describe the 3D deformity. Hence, variations in surgical results based on pre-operative 2D classifications may be attributed to the lack of 3D description.

Methods

Subjects from a multicenter database of AIS patients were included in this study. All patients had bi-planar radiographs and 3D reconstruction of the entire spine. A clustering algorithm based on fuzzy c-means was utilized to identify sub-groups based on the following ten parameters measured on 3D reconstructions of the spine: Cobb angle, orientation of the plane of maximum curvature of the proximal thoracic, mid-thoracic (MT) and thoracolumbar (TLL) levels, axial rotation of the apical vertebra of the MT and TLL segments, T4–T12 thoracic kyphosis, and L1–S1 lumbar lordosis. Da Vinci views were also generated and analyzed for each patient in the study. A panel of four experienced spine surgeons from the SRS 3D Scoliosis Committee reviewed and evaluated each group to determine if cluster groups were clinically distinct from each other.

Results

The clustering algorithm was able to detect 11 sub-groups. The population size for each cluster varied from 11 to 290. Statistically significant differences were seen between the parameters for each group. Four spine surgeons reviewed the three most representative cases of each group and unanimously agreed that each cluster group represents a sub-group that was not defined in current classifications.

Conclusions

This study presents a new method of classifying AIS based on a fuzzy clustering algorithm using parameters describing the 3D characteristics of the deformity. Further clinical validation is needed to confirm the usefulness of this classification system.

Level of evidence

IV.

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Funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR FRN#106546).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

JS and JW: conception or design of the work, acquisition of data, analysis, or interpretation of the data, drafting the work, revising it critically, and final approval. SP and SB: conception or design of the work, analysis, or interpretation of the data, drafting the work, revising it critically, and final approval. C-ÉA, J-MM-T, SK, PN, LGL, VL, and HL: conception or design of the work, analysis, or interpretation of the data, revising it critically, and final approval.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hubert Labelle.

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Ethical approval

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional ethical research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study and their parents.

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Shen, J., Parent, S., Wu, J. et al. Towards a new 3D classification for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine Deform 8, 387–396 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00051-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00051-2

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