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Applications of Medical Image Processing in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Deformity

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Medical Image Processing

Part of the book series: Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering ((BIOMEDICAL))

Abstract

Spinal deformities are a group of disorders characterized by abnormal curvature of the spine. In the healthy spine, natural curves occur in the sagittal plane, with a lordosis (concave curvature) in the lower back (lumbar) region and kyphosis (convex curvature) in the upper back (thoracic) region. In some spinal deformities, these natural curves can be either suppressed or amplified, as in the case of hypokyphosis (flatback) or hyperkyphosis (exaggerated thoracic curvature or ‘hunchback’). However, the most common type of deformity is scoliosis, which is defined as abnormal lateral (side to side) curvature of the spine accompanied by axial rotation.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The major curve is defined as the curve with the largest Cobb angle in a scoliotic spine. Typically, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis major curves are convex to the right in the mid-thoracic spine, with smaller (minor) curves above and below, convex to the left.

  2. 2.

    Note that the measurements described in this sub-study were performed before the main study, so there was no bias in the selection of the 12 patients based on the results from the entire patient group.

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  1. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Clayton Adam

  2. California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA, USA

    Geoff Dougherty

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  1. , Applied Physics and Medical Imaging, California State University Channel Isla, One University Drive, Camarillo, 93012, USA

    Geoff Dougherty

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Adam, C., Dougherty, G. (2011). Applications of Medical Image Processing in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Deformity. In: Dougherty, G. (eds) Medical Image Processing. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9779-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9779-1_10

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