Differential Diagnosis for a Caved-in Chest
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Pectus excavatum: This is the most common congenital deformity of the chest wall, characterized by a sunken or caved-in appearance of the chest. It occurs when several ribs and the sternum grow abnormally, resulting in a concave chest shape.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Pectus carinatum: Although less common than pectus excavatum, this condition involves an outward protrusion of the chest, but in some cases, it can present with a mixed type where part of the chest appears caved in.
- Scoliosis: While primarily affecting the spine, severe cases of scoliosis can lead to a deformity of the chest wall, giving the appearance of a caved-in chest due to the rotational and lateral curvature of the spine.
- Do Not Miss diagnoses
- Traumatic chest injury: A severe blunt trauma to the chest can result in a flail chest or other injuries that might give the appearance of a caved-in chest. Missing this diagnosis could be fatal due to potential underlying injuries to vital organs.
- Rickets or osteomalacia: These conditions, resulting from vitamin D deficiency, can lead to softening of the bones, potentially causing deformities, including a caved-in appearance of the chest.
- Rare diagnoses
- Poland syndrome: A rare congenital condition characterized by underdevelopment or absence of the chest muscle (pectoralis major) on one side of the body, which can also involve deformities of the chest wall, including a caved-in appearance.
- Jeune syndrome (asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy): A rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the bones, particularly those in the thorax, leading to a small, narrow chest that might appear caved in, among other severe respiratory and skeletal abnormalities.