REIDER PART 2
40

300 Charter 8__Cervical and Thoracic Spine

Figurę 8-5. Scoliosis. A, Mild. B, Morc severe.

scoliosis. The ribs articulate with the transverse processes of the corresponding vertebrae. The vertebrae involved in the scoliotic curve are rotated around the longitudinal axis of the spine, with the transverse processes on the convex side of the curve rotating posteriorly and those on the con-cave side rotating anteriorly. The ribs on the convex side, therefore, are morę prominent, and those on the concave side are less prominent. The resulting rib prominence, therefore, appears on the convcx side of the curve. In the most common type of scoliosis, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis> the thoracic convexity and, thus, the rib prominence are most often located on the right side. If scoliosis is sus-pected, asking the patient to bend forward as far as possi-ble emphasizes the rib prominence (Fig. 8-6).

Figurę 8-6. Examination for rib prominence. A, Normal. B, Abnormal.