Currently the gold standard test for the diagnosis of scoliosis and other spinal deformities is thefull-spine radiograph (Cobb angle). However this method has a number of limitations since it does not fully characterizethe three-dimensional deformation of the spine resulting in some cases, in unnecessary repeated doses,which could cause serious health risks. Therefore, a new non-invasive optical method to assess the topographyof the back has been developed. This method is based on structured light and it has been used in this study toevaluate spinal deformities. The method quantifies the asymmetry of the back in three planes of space usingthree topographic variables: DHOPI, POTSI and PC. This technique might be of the greatest clinical utility as acomplementary method to the radiographic study.

Currently the gold standard test for the diagnosis of scoliosis and other spinal deformities is thefull-spine radiograph (Cobb angle). However this method has a number of limitations since it does not fully characterizethe three-dimensional deformation of the spine resulting in some cases, in unnecessary repeated doses,which could cause serious health risks. Therefore, a new non-invasive optical method to assess the topographyof the back has been developed. This method is based on structured light and it has been used in this study toevaluate spinal deformities. The method quantifies the asymmetry of the back in three planes of space usingthree topographic variables: DHOPI, POTSI and PC. This technique might be of the greatest clinical utility as acomplementary method to the radiographic study.