The Place of Ultrasonography in the Evaluation of Rib Fractures

• Main Authors: Fulya Bakılan, Gökhan Yüce, Ahmet Çağdaş Biçen, Tanju Keten
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2015-12-01
• Series: Türk Osteoporoz Dergisi
• Subjects: Rib fracture; blunt chest trauma; ultrasonography
• Online Access: http://www.turkosteoporozdergisi.org/article_10002/The-Place-Of-Ultrasonography-In-The-Evaluation-Of-Rib-Fractures

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether ultrasonography is superior to chest x-ray in detecting rib fractures in patients with minor blunt chest trauma and chest pain. Materials and Methods: Ultrasonography findings of 32 patients with minor blunt chest trauma showing no evidence of a rib fracture on anteroposterior chest x-rays, were documented. Presence of cortical discontinuities, acoustic shadows, reverberation artifacts, and hematoma by ultrasonography was proposed as the diagnostic criteria for detecting the rib fracture. Results: Rib fracture was detected in 20 patients (62.5%) according to ultrasonography results. A mildly displaced fracture was detected in 7 patients (35%), hematoma was detected in 3 patients (15%) and multiple fractures (in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th ribs) were detected in 1 patient (5%). Conclusion: The results of our study showed that ultrasonography is superior to chest x-ray, in detecting rib fractures.