Abstract
STUDY DESIGN:
This was a prospective, double-blinded study of the magnetic resonance imaging findings in the neural axis of 140 neurologically normal typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis who were scheduled for scoliosis surgery.
OBJECTIVE:
To detect the prevalence of spinal cord and neural axis abnormalities in this select population.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:
No similar study exists, although a few related studies were published.
METHODS:
Full-length neural axis magnetic resonance imaging studies were reviewed independently by two radiologists who specialize in the spine.
RESULTS:
Only four patients had a definite abnormality-one a small thoracic syrinx and the other three with a Chiari malformation. None of these required neurosurgery. All 140 patients had their scoliosis surgery without necrologic compromise.
CONCLUSION:
Routine magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of neurologically normal, typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis is not warranted, based on this study.