AIM: To investigate the preoperative and postoperative differences in the upper-body and spinal shapes of patients with scoliosis.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Digitized two-dimensional X-ray images were used to obtain the shapes of the upper-body and spine. The preoperative and postoperative mean shapes were compared by using a Generalized Procrustes analysis. The thin plate spline (TPS) method was used to evaluate the spinal shape deformation between the preoperative and postoperative periods.

RESULTS: The pre- and postoperative upper-body and spinal shape differences were significant. The TPS graphics showed highlevel deformations between the pre- and postoperative periods. The left superior border of the L4 spinous process showed the highest deformation.

CONCLUSION: The preoperative and postoperative upper-body and spinal shape differences and structural deformations that correlated with scoliosis were shown to be significant.