Definition of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spinal deformity, but for a long time only two-dimensional references have been used. Even now, the horizontal plane is less studied because of a lack of precise evaluation. Definitions and classifications are now evolving toward a better understanding and imaging of this third plane. The word “adolescent” has been used historically because the most frequent presentation of the deformity is observed at that age, but it seems necessary to consider scoliosis as a continuum from birth to adult age, with different presentations according the growth status of the spinal organ. The word “idiopathic” is still up to date because all the hypotheses considering the causing factors are converging toward a multifactorial network; which is the essence of this book.