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Canadian Journal of Surgery logoLink to Canadian Journal of Surgery
. 2002 Jun;45(3):181–184.

Vertebral scalloping in neurofibromatosis type 1: a quantitative approach

Edmund SH Kwok *, Bonita Sawatzky †,, Patricia Birch *, Jan M Friedman *, Stephen J Tredwell
PMCID: PMC3686947  PMID: 12067169

Abstract

Objective

To investigate quantitative differences in vertebral scalloping between children who have scoliosis with and without neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Design

A retrospective study.

Setting

A university-affiliated children’s hospital.

Patients

Twenty-seven children with scoliosis, 13 of whom had NF1 and 14 of whom did not.

Method

Existing radiographs of the lumbar vertebrae were used to measure and compare the degree of vertebral scalloping.

Main outcome measures

The distribution of posterior scalloping ratios in the 2 groups and the most extreme ratio in each subject in each group were compared.

Results

Scalloping ratios from the children with NF1 were not normally distributed: 31% had ratios greater than 1.20. Scalloping ratios from the non-NF1 children were normally distributed, with a mean ratio (and standard deviation) of 1.13 (0.03). The distribution between the 2 groups was significantly different (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In children who have scoliosis but no NF1 there was a range of mild scalloping whereas those with NF1 has severe scalloping. Further studies are needed to determine the possible role of vertebral scalloping in scoliosis severity and progression in children who have NF1.

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Articles from Canadian Journal of Surgery are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

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