Development and validation of a semi-automated measurement tool for calculating consistent and reliable surface metrics describing cosmesis in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a 3D spine deformity that also causes ribcage and torso distortion. While clinical metrics are important for monitoring disorder progression, patients are often most concerned about their cosmesis. The aim of this study was to automate the quantification of AIS cosmesis metrics, which can be measured reliably from patient-specific 3D surface scans (3DSS). An existing database of 3DSS for pre-operative AIS patients treated at the Queensland Children’s Hospital was used to create 30 calibrated 3D virtual models. A modular generative design algorithm was developed on the Rhino-Grasshopper software to measure five key AIS cosmesis metrics from these models—shoulder, scapula and hip asymmetry, torso rotation and head-pelvis shift. Repeat cosmetic measurements were calculated from user-selected input on the Grasshopper graphical interface. InterClass-correlation (ICC) was used to determine intra- and inter-user reliability. Torso rotation and head-pelvis shift measurements showed excellent reliability (> 0.9), shoulder asymmetry measurements showed good to excellent reliability (> 0.7) and scapula and hip asymmetry measurements showed good to moderate reliability (> 0.5). The ICC results indicated that experience with AIS was not required to reliably measure shoulder asymmetry, torso rotation and head-pelvis shift, but was necessary for the other metrics. This new semi-automated workflow reliably characterises external torso deformity, reduces the dependence on manual anatomical landmarking, and does not require bulky/expensive equipment.