Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25883676›Full record

ArticleScoliosis2015

Ultrasound-assisted brace casting for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, IRSSD Best research paper 2014.

Edmond H Lou, Amanda Cy Chan, Andreas Donauer, Melissa Tilburn, Doug L Hill

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scoliosis, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Providence Bracing in Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Scoping Review.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2026
    Review
  2. A real-time freehand 3D ultrasound imaging method for scoliosis assessment.Journal of applied clinical medical physics · 2022
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Edmond H LouDepartment of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7 Canada.
Amanda Cy Chan *Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7 Canada.
Andreas Donauer *Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7 Canada.
Melissa Tilburn *Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7 Canada.
Doug L Hill *Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7 Canada.
Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital · CAUniversity of Alberta · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBrace treatment is the most effective non-surgical treatment for AIS. High initial in-brace correction increases successful brace treatment outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate if real-time ultrasound (US) can aid orthotists in selecting the pad pressure level and location resulting in optimal in-brace correction of the spine.

methodsTwenty six AIS subjects participated in this pilot study with 17 (2 M, 15 F) in the control group and 9 (2 M, 7 F) in the intervention group. For the control group, the standard method was used to design their braces. In addition to the standard of care, a medical 3D ultrasound (US) system, a custom pressure measurement system and in-house software were used to select pad placement and pressure levels for the intervention group. The orthotist used a custom standing Providence brace design system to apply pressures against the patient's torso. The applied pad pressures were recorded. A real-time US spinal image was displayed. Cobb angle measurements from the baseline and the assessment scan were performed. The orthotist then decided if an adjustment was needed in terms of altering the pad locations and pressure levels. The procedures may be repeated until the orthotist attained the best simulated in-brace correction configuration to cast the brace.

resultsIn the control group, 8 of 17 (47%) subjects needed a total of 16 brace adjustments after initial fabrication requiring a total of 33 in-brace radiographs. For the intervention group, the orthotist tried additional configurations in 7 out of 9 cases (78%). Among these 7 revised cases, 5 showed better stimulated in-brace corrections and were subsequently used to cast the brace. As a result, only 1 subject required a minor adjustment after initial fabrication. The total number of in-brace radiographs in the intervention group was 10.

conclusionsThe use of the 3D ultrasound system provided a radiation-free method to determine the optimum pressure level and location to obtain the best stimulated in-brace correction during brace casting. The average number of radiographs per subject taken prior to final brace implementation with the interventional group was significantly lower than the control group.

Indexed as

3D ultrasound imagingAdolescent idiopathic scoliosisBrace designBrace treatmentOptimum brace pressure

Identifiers

PMID25883676
PMCPMC4399410
OpenAlexW2013532191

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.