[Differential diagnosis of early scoliosis in Scheuermann's disease and idiopathic scoliosis (author's transl)].

In order to avoid overtreatment or undertreatment of a beginning scoliosis early differentiation of the clinically unimportant concomitant scoliosis of Scheuermann's disease is essential as against early idiopathic scoliosis, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia and the fixed round back deformity of adolescents. Scheuermann's scoliosis as opposed to idiopathic scoliosis is characterised by the almost complete lack of vertebral rotation (as with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia), by a localized unilateral narrowing of the intervertebral space in the a.p. x-ray, as well as by a slight Z- or E-pattern, and a relative shortness of the curves. Simultaneous dorsal kyphosis may be absent. Indispensable is furthermore, the familiarity with the early x-ray signs of Scheuermann's disease in the lateral view as compared with the X-ray of the fixed roundback.