STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective, double-blinded study of the magnetic resonance imaging findings in the neural axis of 140 neurologically normal typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis who were scheduled for scoliosis surgery. OBJECTIVE: To detect the prevalence of spinal cord and neural axis abnormalities in this select population. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No similar study exists, although a few related studies were published. METHODS: Full-length neural axis magnetic resonance imaging studies were reviewed independently by two radiologists who specialize in the spine. RESULTS: Only four patients had a definite abnormality-one a small thoracic syrinx and the other three with a Chiari malformation. None of these required neurosurgery. All 140 patients had their scoliosis surgery without necrologic compromise. CONCLUSION: Routine magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of neurologically normal, typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis is not warranted, based on this study.
STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective, double-blinded study of the magnetic resonance imaging findings in the neural axis of 140 neurologically normal typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis who were scheduled for scoliosis surgery. OBJECTIVE: To detect the prevalence of spinal cord and neural axis abnormalities in this select population. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No similar study exists, although a few related studies were published. METHODS: Full-length neural axis magnetic resonance imaging studies were reviewed independently by two radiologists who specialize in the spine. RESULTS: Only four patients had a definite abnormality-one a small thoracic syrinx and the other three with a Chiari malformation. None of these required neurosurgery. All 140 patients had their scoliosis surgery without necrologic compromise. CONCLUSION: Routine magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of neurologically normal, typical adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis is not warranted, based on this study.