EOS Imaging System is Available for Early Onset Scoliosis and Can Reduce Ionizing Radiation Exposure

Long-term ionizing radiation exposure is a risk to young scoliosis patients. A new slot-scanning imaging system, “EOS imaging” has been shown, in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, to emit significantly lower levels of ionizing radiation. This is a single-center, preliminary report of radiographic assessment by a new system. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with early onset scoliosis (EOS) who had spine radiographs (antero-posterior, lateral or bending) were included. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) conventional radiography (CR) and (2) EOS-imaging. Patients’s demographics and total annual radiation (TAR) doses were calculated. The mean TAR dose per patient was compared to annual background radiation estimated by Radiological Society of North America (2.4 mSv). The mean radiation dose for anteroposterior and lateral spine film with the EOS imaging system was reported as 0.12 and 0.19 mSv per the manufacturer. Results: There were 25 patients in the CR and 18 patients in the EOS-imaging group. Five patients had films from both CR and EOSimaging on different occasions. Mean follow-up of the entire cohort from the first spine x-ray was 1.3 years (0.3 - 2 years). The mean TAR dose per patient was 10.2 mSv (3.3 - 20.3) and 1.3 (0.6 - 2.2) for CR and EOS-imaging groups, respectively. The mean TAR was 4.25 (CR) and 0.54 (EOS-imaging) that of annual background radiation. The mean age of patients at the first spine X-ray within the study period was 4.1 years (0.11 - 9.2) in CR and 7.6 year (3.3 - 10.5) in the EOS-imaging group. Conclusions: Our study shows the TAR dose per patient from EOS imaging systems are lower than conventional systems and can be utilized for patients as young as 3 years old. This study suggests that the use of this new system can reduce TAR dose in EOS patients; however, a larger cohort with longer follow-up is needed to critically examine this statement.