Three-Dimensional Spinal Evaluation Using Rasterstereography in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Is It Closer to Three-Dimensional or Two-Dimensional Radiography?

(1) Background: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional (3D) spine deformity. The Cobb angle, evaluated with 2D radiography, is the gold standard to determine curve severity. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the 3D spinal evaluation with rasterstereography in patients with AIS. The hypothesis was that rasterstereography reached higher accuracy than the gold standard 2D radiography. The second aim was to compare rasterstereography with 3D radiography. The hypothesis was that the rasterstereographic evaluation of patients with severe major scoliosis curves is closer to 3D radiography compared to the gold standard (2D radiography). (2) Methods: This is a prospective comparative study of a consecutive series of 53 patients, with the scoliosis curve evaluated with two 3D methods and the gold standard (2D radiography). (3) Results: The hypothesis that rasterstereography reached higher accuracy than the gold standard 2D radiography was validated for all curves. Even if all curves were highly correlated, both rasterstereography and 2D radiography scoliosis evaluation were underestimated for moderate/severe curves compared to 3D radiography. (4) Conclusions: The rasterstereographic evaluation of major curve scoliosis is not accurate enough to replace 2D radiography for moderate/severe curves. A longitudinal follow-up should be assessed in future studies to define the sensitivity of the detection of a significant change in the scoliotic mild and moderate curve (<40°).