Radiographic Determination of Lordosis and Kyphosis in Normal and Scoliotic Children

Abstract

We conducted a radiographic retrospective study in children to determine spinal lordosis and kyphosis. A total of 218 lateral standing full-length radiographs were studied: 104 normal and 114 scoliotic patients. Normal X-ray films were defined as those obtained for suspected disorder (e.g., scoliosis) with no abnormalities detected by the radiologist or orthopedist. Thoracic kyphosis is defined as the angle between perpendiculars drawn from the inferior endplate of T₅, and the superior endplate of T₁₂. Lordosis is the angle between perpendiculars from the inferior endplate of L₁ and the superior endplate of L₅. The angle between the inferior endplate of L₅ and the top of the sacrum is the L₅–S₁ angle. Statistical analysis was undertaken to compare lordosis and kyphosis radiographic measurements with age, sex, height, and weight employing the SAS package program. No significant relationships were noted between degree of scoliosis, age, sex, height or weight, and kyphosis, lordosis, or L₅–S₁ angle. Neither could correlations among the three radiographic measurements be made. Lordosis measured 40° (range 31–49.5°) in normal and 48.5° (range 40–55°) in scoliotic patients. Kyphosis measured 27° (range 21–33°) in normal and 28° (range 16.5–36°) in scoliotic patients.