Computer-aided management in scoliosis surgery

Abstract

We developed a portable software that allows users to conveniently determine the Cobb angle, the rigidity, and shift of the spinal cord based on the radiographs of scoliosis patients. The software is developed on the MATLAB platform, small in size and easy to be installed and used without formal training or special skills. The radiographs can be uploaded from a data file of a radiographic equipment. The operator uses a pointing device to draw two lines that go through the upper and lower endplates of the selected vertebrae. The software then automatically calculates the Cobb angle and the spinal cord shift. From the bending posture radiographs the system calculates the spinal rigidity. A comparative study on 20 cases using our software, a commercially available software called eFilm and by hand was conducted. The results showed that although the average values obtained from all three methods were not statistically different, our software yielded more reliable results and the measurement time was shorter. Our software therefore is a useful tool to assist the treatment of scoliosis in clinics.