Thoracic wall ultrasonography - normal and pathological findings. Pictorial essay.

Ultrasonography represents an efficient diagnosis method for thoracic pathology evaluation. The diseases of the pleura and thoracic wall receive the greatest benefit from the ultrasound examination. Establishing the cause of an acute thoracic pain or assessing a palpable tumor may easily benefit from essential data provided by ultrasonography. Afterwards it is possible to use a complementary imaging method or to perform US guided interventional procedures. This pictorial presents the ultrasonographic aspects of thoracic wall pathology, considering also differential diagnosis issues.