Referral Patterns to a Pediatric Scoliosis Clinic Based on Cobb Angles Measured by Community Radiologists: Implications for Treatment

Introduction: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for scoliosis to be performed yearly; referral to an orthopaedic surgeon is recommended in patients whose spinal curves exceed 20° on standing posterior-anterior spinal radiographs or in patients with atypical history, physical or radiographic findings. Bracing is an effective non-operative management for idiopathic scoliosis at high risk for curve progression, and therefore, timely referral to a specialist is warranted to decrease the likelihood of requiring surgery. This study describes the referral patterns to pediatric orthopaedic spine surgeons based on community radiologist …