The Utility of Cervical Vertebral Maturation Method for Staging Skeletal Growth and Curve Progression in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Background: Cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) is a skeletal maturity method that can be assessed routinely on whole spine radiographs to minimize radiation exposure. Originally used in orthodontics, its role in staging adolescent growth spurt and curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate growth rates across CVM stages, its cutoff for indicating peak growth (PG) versus growth cessation (GC), and its relationship with coronal curve progression.

How Accurate Are Fulcrum Bending Radiographs in Estimating Postoperative Outcomes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Fulcrum bending radiographs can be used to assess coronal flexibility in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) to estimate postoperative correction. To obtain fulcrum bending radiographs, patients are passively bent over a radiolucent fulcrum at the apex of the curve. Available studies have disagreed about the accuracy in estimating postoperative correction, although these studies differed in terms of patients' baseline characteristics as well as other methods.

Male spondyloarthritis patients and those with longer disease duration have less severe disc degeneration: propensity score-matched comparison.

Objective: Using whole spine sagittal T2 MRI, we aimed to compare the severity and prevalence of disc degeneration (DD) in axial SpA patients the general population and to determine any association between spinal inflammation, structural changes, mobility and DD among SpA patients.

Methods: Two prospectively collected cohorts of SpA patients ( = 411) and the general population ( = 2007) were recruited. Eventually, 967 participants from the populational cohort and 304 participants from the SpA cohort were analysed.

Why Are Some Intervertebral Discs More Prone to Degeneration?: Insights Into Isolated Thoracic "Dysgeneration".

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of isolated thoracic degeneration on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), demographic factors and imaging features, as well as the patient-reported quality of life outcomes associated with this condition.

Summary Of Background Data: Thoracic intervertebral discs are least susceptible to disc degeneration (DD) and may represent a manifestation of "dysgeneration.