Diseases of the Chest Wall and Diaphragm

Abstract

The chapter titled chest wall and diaphragm discusses a variety of thoracic abnormalities. Chest wall conditions can be divided into masses, fluid-like processes and congenital variants. The variety of masses encountered in the chest wall is reflective of the tissue of origin. The approach to the chest wall lesion is be guided by three main considerations: the patient’s age, the acuity of the process and the tissue of origin. The desmoid tumor, for example, is a lesion characteristically seen in young adults. Presenting symptoms can also be helpful as infection, hematoma and malignant lesions are more often associated with chest pain. The diaphragm also has a variety of conditions that may manifest on thoracic imaging including masses, defects and anomalies of function. When the innervation is paralyzed, the entire hemidiaphragm may be elevated. Focal defects results in characteristic hernias.