Funnel chest is usually visible on radiographs.
The etiology of most funnel chests has not been fully clarified, and is currently thought to be related to abnormal development of the sternum and costal cartilages, excessive backward growth of the sternum, and other factors, and is also thought to be related to excessive shortening of the central tendon of the diaphragm to pull it. It is recommended to go to the thoracic surgery department and pediatric surgery department of the hospital after discovering the chest wall deformity.
Doctors suspect funnel chest and may be able to determine this through physical examination and chest imaging. Chest radiographs of funnel chest focus on the front and side view. The heart and lungs can be seen on the front view, and there is no obvious pneumothorax or pleural effusion. The lateral view shows the degree of concavity of the anterior chest wall, so a lateral view of funnel chest may be more accurate than an orthopantomogram.
If a patient suspects that he or she has funnel chest, it is recommended that he or she go to the hospital in a timely manner for early treatment to obtain the best therapeutic results.