Sonography of the thoracic and abdominal walls

Pathologic processes that may involve the thoracic or abdominal wall occasionally raise diagnostic challenges because of the low specificity of physical findings. Congenital and developmental anomalies may mimic soft-tissue or bone tumors; tumors may mimic inflammatory and infectious diseases, and vice versa. Furthermore, these disorders may produce remote manifestations that are frequently misdiagnosed as visceral pain. Many of these parietal processes have typical sonographic appearances that allow definitive diagnosis. This article reviews characteristic sonographic appearances of thoracic and abdominal wall disorders. Familiarity with these sonographic features facilitates accurate diagnosis and optimal patient treatment. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.