Idiopathic Scoliosis Progression Predictors: Presenting Rib and Segmental Rib Index as Predictors – A Literature Review

This report provides a concise selective representative overview of the predictor-factors for progression in Idiopathic Scoliosis. The Cobb angle method, rib hump deformity, and imaging and advanced techniques for assessing skeletal maturity serve as key elements in evaluating prognostic factors for idiopathic scoliosis (IS) progression based on the patient's age at diagnosis—particularly in Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis (IIS), Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis (JIS), and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). The commonly used approaches for determining skeletal maturity include the assessment of the iliac apophysis and scoliosis curve deterioration, the Sanders Skeletal Maturity Staging System, the distal radius and ulna (DRU) classification for predicting growth spurts and curve progression in IS, as well as the ossification of vertebral epiphyseal rings, the humeral head, and the calcaneal apophysis. Prognostic factors influencing IS progression are further discussed in relation to the patient’s age at onset—whether in infancy, childhood, or adolescence—as well as in both untreated and braced AIS patients. Additionally, the apical convex rib-vertebral angle in AIS is explored as an indicator of progression. Predictors for curve progression at skeletal maturity are outlined, along with various models for forecasting IS deterioration. Lastly, the Rib and Segmental Rib Index, a rib cage deformity parameter, is introduced as a predictor of scoliosis progression."