Association between trunk aesthetics and underling scoliosis severity and curve type in adolescents: evaluation of traditional clinical scores and novel automated indices from rasterstereographic imaging.
Tito Bassani, Alessandra Negrini, Marco Rampi and 2 others
PMID 40856379WHAT IT FOUND
Trunk asymmetry scores and automated image indices correlated weakly to moderately with scoliosis severity, but scores varied by rater and image type.
Waist and hemithorax asymmetry tracked severity better than shoulders or scapulae, suggesting limited reliability for standalone screening.
Key findings
01TRACE scores varied significantly between raters and image types, with weak correlations between rasterstereographic and photographic assessments.
02Correlations between aesthetic scores and scoliosis severity were generally weak, though waist and hemithorax asymmetry showed moderate association.
03Automated indices derived from rasterstereographic images demonstrated only weak correlations with both clinical scores and scoliosis severity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Single-center design may limit generalizability to other populations or imaging protocols. TRACE scoring remains partially subjective with significant inter-rater variability. Automated indices were developed in-house and lack external validation. RST imaging tends to underestimate curve severity compared to radiography. Subgroups with three curves or double thoracic curves were excluded due to low sample size.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Corrente).
The easy way to misread this
Do not rely on automated rasterstereographic indices or photographic TRACE scores as accurate proxies for scoliosis severity. The correlations were weak, and scores varied significantly between raters and image types, meaning these tools cannot currently replace radiographic assessment for monitoring curve progression.