Dr. Frederic P Jacquot, an orthopedic surgeon from France, developed an innovative iPhone application that could measure spine curvature angles “on the fly.” Just like other spine clinicians, Dr. Jacquot was trained to measure the Cobb angle, kyphosis angle, and the sacral slope on spine radiographs. So instead of using a protractor, he realized that he could utilize the accelerometer inside the iPhone to do it.
All that one has to do in using the device is align the side of the iPhone to the standard tracings we use routinely, and the position sensor built in the iPhone will do the rest.
The precision of the device itself is 1/10th of a degree, far more precise than the precision of the measure as determined in everyday practice and the literature.
Measures are logged for further use and may be sent by e-mail to the surgeon or staff for recording purposes, with the levels of the measured curve, type of curve and patient id or number. A calibration procedure was also implemented to accurately measure the angle with the horizontal plane as in the sacral slope.
