Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool-A systematic review

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 2;16(12):e0260858. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260858. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Diagnostic investigation can be carried out using non-radiological and non-contact methods. Moiré topography (MT) seems to be a viable alternative to radiographic research in evaluating the spine and/or trunk deviations. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the current knowledge regarding the reliability and validity of Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool. The systematic review was performed from 2010 until March 2021 in the PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, according to the eligibility criteria. This review fulfilled the following criteria according to the PICO system: population (children and adolescents), intervention (MT measurement), comparison (repeated MT measurements, MT compared to Cobb angle or scoliometer), outcome (reliability and validity of MT). Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for further analysis. All the studies were assessed to be of high quality. Included studies found that MT had high repeatability and high intraobserver and interobserver correlation, and correlation between MT parameters and radiographic Cobb angle ranged from moderate to high. The authors reported difficulty in defining the cut-off values for MT parameter (Surface Trunk Rotation-STR), and unsatisfactory sensitivity and specificity of MT examination. The studies did not reveal the advantage of MT as a screening method in the detection of idiopathic scoliosis in comparison to radiograph. Based on the evidence from eight studies, the results indicated moderate evidence for reliability and validity of Moiré topography as a screening and diagnostic tool. There is still no strong evidence for the accuracy of MT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Moire Topography / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Scoliosis / diagnosis*
  • Scoliosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Torso / diagnostic imaging
  • Torso / pathology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science in the year 2021 under Research Group no 4 at Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw "Physical activity and sports for people with special needs." The authors received funding for the publication of this article in a given scientific journal. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors didn’t receive a salary from any of funders.