SONOGRAPHY OF THE COSTAL CARTILAGE - NORMAL ANATOMY AND PRELIMINARY CLINICAL-APPLICATION

Costal cartilages of 10 controls and 12 patients with Tietze's syndrom e (n = 6), deformed (exaggerated bowing) cartilage (n = 4), focal enla rgement (n = 1), and cancer-invaded cartilage (n = 1) were examined wi th ultrasonography. In controls, ultrasonography detected 237 of 240 c ostal cartilages (98.8%) and 58 of 105 intercartilage connections (55% ) with three variations. Correlation with CT was available in 7 patien ts (1 Tietze's syndrome, 4 deformities, 1 cartilage enlargement, and 1 cancer) among 8 patients whose CT results were known to the sonograph er. Sonography showed normal (n = 4) or marginally blurred (n = 2) car tilages in 6 Tietze's syndromes. Ultrasonography is a promising techni que in the examination of costal cartilages. (C) 1995 John Wiley and S ons, Inc.