Your doctor may refer you to have X-rays of your back to show the position and size of the curvature. The curve is given a measurement in degrees, called the Cobb angle. The radiologist or surgeon can compare early X-rays with later ones to tell whether the curvature is stable or getting more pronounced. Sometimes you will have other tests such as a CT or MRI scan. A CT scan uses multiple X-ray pictures to make detailed cross-sectional images of the body. An MRI scan is similar, but it uses magnets and radio waves. CT and MRI images can be processed by computer software to make 3-D images and give your doctors precise information about, e. g the alignment of spinal bones.
Attribution: BUPA