ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical significance of a new method,axis-line-distance technique(ALDT),in scoliosis measurement.Methods Thirty cases with idiopathic scoliosis were measured on two separate occasions by six observers with the Cobb technique and the ALDT on PACS workstation.The interval time between two measurement occasions were three weeks.The data were analyzed statistically with the paired-sample t-test.Results(1)Concerning intraobserver variance in two measurement occasions,the minimum variance,the maximum variance and the average variance were 0, 24.00?,5.71??1.54?for Cobb technique and 0,12.00 mm,(1.95?0.58)mm for ALDT.There were significant measurement differences for four observers with Cobb method 39.00??10.69?versus 36.50?? 10.63?,31.73??10.96?versus 37.30??9.65?,32.03??7.49?versus 27.86??9.00?,29.77??8.87? versus 34.20??7.26?,all P0.05].(2)Concerning interobserver variances in six observers,the average measurement variance was 5.07??0.35?for Cobb method,and(2.32?0.26)mm for ALDT. There were significant measurement differences for every observer using with Cobb method(36.63??10.30? versus 33.27??10.10?,39.00?10.69?versus 31.73??10.96?,32.03??7.49~ versus 29.78?? 8.87?,36.63??10.30?versus 39.00??10.69?versus 32.03??7.48?,39.00??10.69?versus 32.03?? 7.49?,all P