Scoliosis Tele-Screening Test

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spinal and trunk deformity. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis prevalence is 3,1% in females and 1,5% in males in Turkey. Most of the cases are asymptomatic, therefore screening programs are very crucial for early diagnosis especially for cases in risky ages. Early diagnosis provides the early treatment.

Aesthetic evaluation of the trunk is one of the important components of Idiopathic Scoliosis and aesthetic appearance which is the main complaint of the patients and family is the primary aim of the conservative and operative treatment. There are some tools that evaluates postural asymmetries like Trunk Aesthetic Clinical Evaluation which evaluates the shoulder, scapula, waist, and hemithorax and known as a reliable instrument for everyday clinical evaluation and to monitor aesthetic changes achieved with treatment.

A scoliosis screening test has been developed in which families with restricted access to the hospital and healthcare professionals due to the Covid-19 pandemic, can evaluate their children in terms of scoliosis risk without applying to any health institution. A study group of subject experts was formed within the "Scoliosis Research and Treatment Association Turkey". This new tele-screening test could be easily applied by parents at a home in different times, give information about the results to the implementer just after the evaluation. Researchers discussed how to evaluate the spine for scoliosis in a virtual environment and were created a visual screening test. In the scoring of the STS-Test, the images related to the body asymmetry of patients with scoliosis with different deformities characteristics in the common database of these experts were analyzed and scoring was created by expert opinion and consensus.

Scoliosis risk was determined by considering the visual body asymmetries in the shoulder, thorax, waist, and pelvis, in addition, Adams' test. For the girls, female gender and time since menarche as a risk factor were included in the total score. In STS-Test scoring, the positive Adams' test is 4 points for both genders; the presence of family history related to scoliosis is 1 point; female gender was as 1 point; no menarche, or time less than 1-year since menarche for girls, was determined as 1 point. In the scoring of the other items, the anterior shoulder levels and height difference in the pelvis were scored as 2 points; if there was asymmetry in the images of the items including shoulder level difference from the posterior, scapula asymmetry, pelvic shifting to one side and height difference in the pelvis, they were scored as 1 point, and if symmetrical or not able to make a decision, it was scored as 0 points. Scoliosis Tele-Screening Test consists of a total of 23 Likert-type questions; 5 questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents, 3 questions on the knowledge/awareness level regarding scoliosis, 3 questions on the risk factors related to scoliosis development, 7 questions about the cosmetic deformities that scoliosis may cause/can reveal, and 5 questions the satisfaction of the parent/evaluator. The total score for risk groups is based on 7 questions about the cosmetic deformities caused by scoliosis and 3 questions regarding the risk factors associated with scoliosis development. The total score is obtained by summing up the scores from 10 questions of these two sections. The total score is categorized as low, medium, and high risk, and the risk groups differ for males and females. 0-4 points are low, 5-11 points are medium, and 12-15 points are considered a high-risk group for girls in the total score. 0-3 points are low, 4-8 points are medium, and 9-13 points are considered high risk group for males in the total score.

The final version of the test was shared on the website of the Scoliosis Research and Treatment Association Turkey and social networks. After the parent/evaluator completed the test, an e-mail containing information about the test, scoliosis risk score, and recommendations was sent with an automatic reply. Participants with moderate and high risks will be invited to the physical examination to the centers designated as research centers. Families who could not reach these centers will be asked to take pictures of their children according to the given instruction. They will be asked to send this photo to the researchers by e-mail. The researchers will be evaluated the TRACE and Adams' test from the photo and sent their opinions to the parents via e-mail. If this virtual analysis made by the expert suggests a suspicion of scoliosis, it will be recommended to see a specialist as soon as possible. The patients who could apply to the center will be examined by the physician, evaluated cosmetically according to TRACE, and Adams' test will be performed. Suspicion of scoliosis will be confirmed by spine radiography. Patients with a Cobb angle ≥10° in any segment of the spine will be considered to have scoliosis. The location, direction, and angle of scoliosis will be recorded from the spine radiographs.