How Is Scoliosis Diagnosed?

Doctors take the following steps to evaluate patients
for scoliosis:
•     Medical history – The doctor talks to the patient
and the patient’s parent(s) and reviews the patient’s
records to look for medical problems that might be
causing the spine to curve, for example, birth defects,
trauma, or other disorders that can be associated
with scoliosis.
•     Physical examination – The doctor looks at the
patient’s back, chest, pelvis, legs, feet, and skin. The
doctor checks if the patient’s shoulders are level,
whether the head is centered, and whether opposite
sides of the body look level. The doctor also examines
the back muscles while the patient is bending
forward to see if one side of the rib cage is higher
than the other. If there is a significant asymmetry
(difference between opposite sides of the body), the
doctor will refer the patient to an orthopaedic spine
specialist (a doctor who has experience treating
people with scoliosis). Certain changes in the skin,
such as so-called café au lait spots (the color of coffee
with milk) can suggest that the scoliosis is caused by
a birth defect.
Scoliosis in Children and Adolescents
5•     X-ray evaluation – Patients with significant spinal
curves, unusual back pain, or signs of involvement
of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
such as bowel and bladder control problems need
to have an x ray. The x ray should be done with the
patient standing with his or her back to the x-ray
machine. The view is of the entire spine on one long
(36-inch) film. Occasionally, doctors ask for more
tests to see if there are other problems.
•     Curve measurement – The doctor measures the
curve on the x-ray image. He or she finds the
vertebrae at the beginning and end of the curve
and measures the angle of the curve