Radiologic Findings of Pelvic Parameters Related to Sagittal Balance

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: A literature review on the radiologic findings of pelvic parameters for treatment of spinal deformity OBJECTIVES: This review examines sagittal spine alignment, pelvic parameters, and methods for assessing alignment, and examines the relationships among all of these parameters to understand spinal deformity. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Understanding the main pelvic and sagittal spinal parameters and recognizing their correlation is imperative in the diagnosis and treatment of various spinal disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: As spinal and pelvic parameters tend to have a strong correlation, it is essential to measure not only spinal parameters but also pelvic parameters in analyzing sagittal balance. Degenerative changes have the potential to greatly disrupt the normal curvature of the spine, leading to sagittal malalignment. Analysis of sagittal balance is crucial to optimizing the management of spinal diseases. Improvement in surgical outcomes may be achieved through better understanding of radiographic spino-pelvic parameters and their association with deformity. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding spinal and pelvic parameters raises awareness of the relationship among alignment and balance, the soft tissue envelope, and compensatory mechanisms, which will, in turn, provide a more comprehensive understanding of the nature of spinal deformity and the modalities with which it is treated.