Discordantly High Spinal Bone Mineral Density Values in Patients With Adult Lumbar Scoliosis

Abstract

Cobb's angle measurements on DEXA scans are reliable and comparable to conventional radiographs. Spinal BMD values are less valuable for monitoring osteoporosis than hip values in scoliotic patients; an increasing discrepancy with age was noted. Scoliotic patients exhibited discordantly high spinal BMD values, despite significant hip osteoporosis. The discrepancy correlated with aging and curve magnitude. Scoliosis was common among the osteoporotic population (9.47%). Lumbar scoliosis is a useful clinical marker for osteoporosis, irrespective of scoliosis history and magnitude. Viable alternatives for osteoporosis evaluation of adult patients with lumbar scoliosis are hip DEXA values, in conjunction with other BMD measurements.