Prevalence rate of structural scoliosis in school children of Novosibirsk according to the computed optical topography data

The purpose of the paper is to study the prevalence of structural scoliosis among 6–18 year-old school children from Novosibirsk using the computed optical topography (COMOT) data.

Materials and methods. A program of annual examination of the posture (using special developed COMOT) among school children of decreed ages, which was started in 2010 in all schools of the city, enabled data collection of more than 190,000 school children aged 6 to 18, including 49,0% girls and 51,0% foys COMOT provides reconstruction of a 3D-model of the dorsal surface of the body, assessment of the posture state, identification of structural scoliosis at an early stage, and precise determination of the scoliosis degree by angle of lateral asymmetry (LA) which is a topographic analogue of the Cobb angle.

Results. As the LA increases from 5−9º to ≥ 40º, the percentage of structural scoliosis rapidly falls from 31,1% to 0,04% in girls (G) and from 26,4% to 0,01% in boys (B), and the girls to boys ratio increases from 1,18 to 6,92. By the age of 17 years, skeletal growth in boys is generally completed; the G/B ratio for scoliosis ≥10º becomes 1,62; the rate of scolioses amounts to 5,3% (G) and 3,3% (B). The rate of scolioses ≥40º (with allowance for operated patients) has amounted to 0,24% (G) and 0,022% (B). Similar data may be expected in the adult population.

Conclusion. COMOT enabled a reliable estimation of the scoliosis severity and made it possible, unlike other screening schemes, to establish a modern system of prophylaxis of severe scoliosis forms in Novosibirsk. This biennially screening is sufficient for timely detection, follow-up and referral of a risk group to clinics. 

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