Introduction: In the system of diagnosis of scoliotic spinal deformity, X-ray examination of the patient is mandatory. It objectifies the visual clinical picture of the pathology; specifies the information on the localization of curvature arcs and their parameters, anatomical and biomechanical characteristics of the spine, the rib cage of the chest and the pelvis. During the X-ray examination, the parameters and nature of the curvature are studied in three planes. The magnitude of the lateral arcs of deformation is determined in the frontal plane, while the state of the spine profile is assessed in the sagittal plane. When studying the parameters of spinal deformation in the horizontal plane, rotational displacement and torsional deformation are observed. The correlation between rotational and torsional changes of the spine with other components of multiplanar deformitions, their relationship with the anatomical type and etiology of the disease still require further study.

Aim: The study of information value and clinical suitability of famous methods of definition and estimation of spine deformation parameters in the horizontal plane during idiopathic scoliosis patients examination.

Materials and methods: An unsystematic review of publications is proposed, in which the methods and techniques for determining the parameters of spinal deformation in the horizontal plane in scoliotic patients over the past 20 years are described.

Results: The information value and clinical suitability of the most common and practically significant methods are investigated. It is established that the current tendency of comprehensive examination of patients with scoliotic disease is the emergence of new, more informative methods for quantifying the parameters of spinal deformity in the horizontal plane, which has become possible due to the development and improvement of technology. It should be noted that the study of the features of anatomical-structural, torsional changes are given insufficient attention.

Conclusions: Further study of vertebral torsional changes should lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms that cause scoliotic deformation, which will contribute to the development of pathogenetic treatment methods. Dynamic assessment of rotational-torsional changes of the spine can be used as a predictor of progression in different types of scoliotic deformations, an indicator of the outcome of conservative and surgical treatment.