Cervical rib - Preliminary data on diagnosis by ultrasound

Aim: To determine whether ultrasound is useful in detecting cervical rib. Ultrasound was used to diagnose cervical rib in five patients with neck pain and the findings were compared to those from plain radiography. Materials and Methods: Ultrasound was used in 34 patients with pain and stiffness in the neck region. The area concerned was scanned sonographically in both longitudinal and transverse planes. In the sitting position, plain radiographs were obtained after ultrasound examination for comparison and verification. The contralateral side of the neck was used as control. Results: Sonography revealed abnormalities in five patients. Sonography and X-ray confirmed the diagnosis of cervical rib in six patients, whereas one patient had a lipoma of the neck. Conclusion: Sonography is an additional and easily available diagnostic modality for the detection of cervical rib in cases of pain and stiffness in the neck region.