Trying to Understand Curve Measurement

[lisazena]

Hi,
I am still searching out my options and in the process got copies of the letters the scoliosis specialists I saw sent to my GP. Not that it really matters but I am trying to figure out if Errico made a mistake in his measurement or if there is more than one way to measure a curve.

Last year I took a scoliosis Xray through my physiatrist and it said that I had a 60 degree thorocolumbar cuve.

This year I took a scoliosis Xray with Lonner and it said my curve is 55 degrees. The difference there I understand as I believe getting the Xray from a different place could make a difference.

At the same time I saw Lonner I saw Errico and his machine for reading X-rays was broken so they tried to measure my curve by hand and at first his medical assistant mentioned that she thought my curve was 90 degrees. I quickly said no--that was a mistake. Well now i just read the letter that Errico sent my GP it said my curve is 68 degrees, but he was reading Lonner's Xray. Is there more than one way to read an X-ray? I wouldn't think so, but am double-checking. Thanks.
Lisa

[rohrer01]

I've read on here that the margine of error on curve measurements is HUGE. It's something like +/- 11*. So there could be as much as 22* difference in readings depending on who reads them. What's most important is that they compare the newer x-rays to the older ones to see if there is actually any progression. You can't go by what the reports say.

[lisazena]

Understand better

Rohre,
Thanks for explaining. So sounds like each doctor has their own method. Errico didn't compare to the year before, but Lonner did and didn't see significant progression from the earlier year (the one other time I had a scoliosis X-ray)
Lisa