Since pregnancy can be one of the times a woman with scoliosis is at risk for a rapid progression of her curves determining if that is the case is an important thing to do in cases of curvatures over 30 degrees, but how do you do it safely?
Since the standard methodology of assessing scoliosis (i.e.: X-ray) is contraindicated during a pregnancy, ow can doctors assess a scoliosis during that time without risking the health of the unborn child?
A new approach is a device called Formetric Rastersterography that measures the surface topography of the back of the patient without the use of any kind of harmful radiation. This device uses simple white light that is cast over the back of the patient in a lined patten that is then picked up by a camera at a 45 degree angle to create a topographical map of the back that can be used to assess the progression of a scoliosis.
Our offices are one of the few in the U.S. using this advanced technology. We use it not only for pregnant women, but for all of our patients, as it allows us to reduce X-ray exposure over the course of care by at least 50% in most cases.