The 6th Biennial Meeting of the International Research Society of Spinal Deformities was held on 21–24 June 2006 at “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium.

More than 140 papers and posters were presented, covering many different fields of research from genetics and molecular biology to surgical treatment. During the last decade the field of research has widened and new research groups have emerged, reflecting the changes in the world's economical and political scene. In this context globalisation definitely has a positive meaning.

Progress has been made, but the goals of our Society have not been reached yet.

Our understanding of the mechanisms leading to spinal deformity is improving, but further research into all fields concerned is mandatory.

This book reflects our current knowledge and is intended for readers with a scientific, critical and open mind. It will serve as a basis for future research and as a source of discussion. The content of the papers is each individual author's responsibility.

It has been an honour to be your host in Ghent and to act as your editor.

This would have been impossible without the enormous help of my co-editor, our secretary for life, Peter Dangerfield. As a native speaker, he had the immense task of putting all the papers into proper English, for which we owe him very much.

Lieve Ectors and Luc Niville from King Conventions did an exemplary job and if we reached all the deadlines, it is thanks to them.

Publishing this book would have been impossible without the assistance of our sponsors.

We are greatly indebted to DePuy Spine, Spine Vision, Stryker and Medtronic.

May your stay in Ghent have been an enjoyable one and an inspiration for future work.

Gent, 15 June 2006

Dirk Uyttendaele, MD, PhD