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Help! Question on new type of scoliosis x-rays

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  • Help! Question on new type of scoliosis x-rays

    Hello everyone, I'm hoping some of you had some experience with the new type of x-rays and can give some advice...

    A little history first. I'm 30 and have a lumbar curve of 42 degrees. I was in a brace through my teen years (when I had a 39 degree curve). For the past two years, I have been having terrible right lower back pain that prevents me from sleeping the whole night in bed each and every night. Other sources for the pain have been eliminated, so it is my scoliosis. I have started to consider surgery and have begun the process: finding specialists, new x-rays, MRIs, etc.

    Anyway, I had a conventional x-ray a year and a half ago with the result of a 42 degree curve and a 2mm leg length discrepency. As the pain has gotten worse and surgery was becoming an option, my doctor wanted new x-rays. These were the new type where you stand in front of a white screen (instead of an x-ray plate) and they do one film from ear top to your butt. The result was put on a CD with a viewer program. The radiologist measured my curve as 29 degrees with a 7mm leg length discrepency on the CD. My specialist said he could not accruately measure my curve from the CD. The radiologist said his viewer program was far more accurate than a traditional film.

    So I'm stuck - my leg length discrepency increased 5mm, my pain has gotten worse, and I've lost 3/4 inch in the past year and a half, but my curve improved 13 degrees? I just don't know who to believe - I'm pretty sure curves don't fix themselves....

    Does anyone have experience with these new x-rays? Have you had a similar problem? Any experience with discrepencies with new vs. old x-rays?

    Thanks so much,
    Jen

  • #2
    Hi Jen...

    I don't understand how they're calculating a leg length discrepancy from an xray that stops at your pelvis. Perhaps they're measuring difference in height of two sides of the pelvis.

    One way or the other, you probably need to be seen by a scoliosis specialist who routinely treats adult patients. You can start here:

    http://www.srs.org/directory/directory.asp

    Also, if you post your geographic area, you might get recommendations from others here.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      They should be able to print that... Nearly 100% of radiology practices keep digital files instead of hard copies of film now. But they'll print one out if you or your doctor request one.

      Curve measurement can vary and this maybe more so when measured by different people... As for radiology viewer programs, they are very accurate, I've used a whole bunch and one of them has a plug in that calculates cobb's angles. Came out to be what my surgeon measured -- I knew which veterbrae my surgeon considers the 'start' and the 'end' of a curve. The radiologist that read your film might have mesured using different vertebrae than your surgeon did which can make a difference in the numbers.
      30 something y.o.

      2003 - T45, L???
      2005 - T50, L31
      bunch of measurements between...

      2011 - T60, L32
      2013 - T68, L?

      Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
      Post - op curve ~35


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      • #4
        I agree - my surgeon prefers to see the actual x-rays themselves. He commented that many people actually measure curves incorrectly and it is best if the same person measures them so you can be sure the curve has progressed or not. If you haven't already, I would get a print-out of the new x-rays and take them to your doctor.
        32 y/o male
        S curve - upper, 50 degrees, lower 43 degrees
        Waiting and watching after seeing 2 doctors...

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