Trace elements in the vertebral column in idiopathic scoliosis

Respecting the physiological trace elements iron, copper, manganese and zinc in idiopathic scoliosis and taking the spinous processes as an example, the composition of the vertebral body is determined in a first examination by means of atom absorption spectrophotometry. Whilst the copper concentration in bone shows no differences of statistical significance compared to the normal values and due to the width of dispersion in the scoliosis collective,—the individual values are separated from one another by a potency of ten—a significant increase is, however, found in the manganese concentration in bone in idiopathic scoliosis.