Objective To determine if there is a statistically significant difference in the flexibility of the curves in the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by using lateral inclination radiographs in supine or prone decubitus. Methods We evaluated 19 patients with AIS, waiting for surgery. Radiographs of the patients were performed in orthostatic anteroposterior incidences and right and left lateral inclinations in prone and supine decubitus. The comparison between prone and supine decubitus was performed through the flexibility rates of the curves measured in each position. Results The mean flexibility rates measured in lateral inclination radiographs with the patient in the supine position were 54.4% ± 38.8% in the proximal thoracic curve, 45.8% ± 15.6% in the main thoracic curve, and 80.5% ± 20.7% in the thoracolumbar / lumbar curve. When the lateral inclination radiographs were performed with the patient in the prone position, we observed mean flexibility rates of 66.4% ± 34.3% in the proximal thoracic curve, 50.1% ± 12.8% in the main thoracic curve, and 80.6% ± 19.0% in the thoracolumbar / lumbar curve. Conclusion This present study did not find a statistically significant difference between the flexibility rates of the curves in the prone and supine positions, suggesting that the two radiographic methods analyzed are similar in the evaluation of the flexibility of the curves in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Level of evidence II; Development of diagnostic criteria in consecutive patients (with “gold” reference standard applied).

Objective To evaluate the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of the classification of proximal humeral ossification in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Methods Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Radiographs (anteroposterior) of 29 patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis were chosen and investigated at the Spine Surgery Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the Hospital Getúlio Vargas, Recife, Pernambuco. These radiographs were evaluated and classified by 9 spinal orthopedic surgeons at two moments, with a minimum interval of 30 days, for analysis of the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of the classification of proximal humeral ossification used as a predictor of peak growth velocity. Results Intraobserver reproducibility achieved moderate to substantial concordance with the kappa index. In the analysis of interobserver reproducibility using the Fleiss’ kappa method, a reasonable to moderate concordance was observed, except for in stage 5, in which concordance ranged from substantial to almost perfect. Conclusion In this study, the reproducibility of the Li classification in most of the stages was reasonable to moderate for the interobserver assessment and moderate to substantial for the intraobserver assessment, which differs from the current literature. Level of evidence III; Diagnostic studies – Investigation of a diagnostic test.