Most common cause of scoliosis
In most cases, the cause of scoliosis is idiopathic. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is diagnosed between age 10 and skeletal maturity and is the most common type of idiopathic scoliosis. There is a heavy predominance in girls. Although idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of scoliosis, other etiologic factors should be considered before making this diagnosis.
Etiologic Factors to Consider Before Making the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Scoliosis
| CATEGORY | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| Congenital * | Block vertebra, hemivertebra, vertebral bar |
| Neuromuscular | Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury |
| Developmental | Skeletal dysplasia, neurofibromatosis |
| Neoplastic * | Osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma |
| Traumatic and other | Trauma, postradiation |
* Particularly in otherwise healthy patients, effort should be focused on excluding congenital vertebral segmentation, fusion anomalies, and neoplasms.
