Chest Wall Deformities Program

Pectus excavatum, also known as sunken chest or funnel chest, occurs when an abnormal growth of cartilage within the chest wall pushes the sternum, or breast bone, and ribs inward, creating a caved-in or sunken appearance. Learn more about pectus excavatum.

Pectus carinatum, also known as pigeon chest, is when the cartilage grows up and out and forces the sternum forward. One or both sides of the chest can be affected. Learn more about pectus carinatum.

Because of the visual nature of these conditions, pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum can usually be initially diagnosed by a physical examination of the chest wall.

Once the condition is diagnosed, your primary care physician may suggest you meet with a pediatric surgeon and their team to discuss treatment options. The initial consultation appointment can be scheduled by calling 312.227.4210.

Your first appointment will be a clinic consultation with an advanced practice nurse and a pediatric surgeon. A comprehensive past medical, surgical and family history will be taken at this visit, and a physical exam will also be completed. An in-depth description of the diagnosis and available treatment options will then be discussed.

After the initial visit, the surgeon may order a few tests to help build the treatment plan.

These are all outpatient tests and together their results will help define next steps. All patients will not necessarily have all tests.

1. Medical imaging such as CT scan or MRI
2. Echocardiogram – this test is an ultrasound of the heart, which will assess for anatomical variables such as heart valve defects. It can be done at Lurie Children’s main hospital or any of Lurie Children’s outpatient centers.
3. Pulmonary Function Testing – this will tell the medical team the strength of the patient’s lung capacity. This test is completed in the Pulmonary Diagnostics lab at Lurie Children’s main hospital.
4. White Light Scan – this is an experimental imaging technique that does not use ionizing radiation. Instead, it is a scanning device using a white light projector to obtain 3D measurements of the chest wall. The surgeon and team will review the chest measurements that are garnered from the scan. The white light scanning device is utilized to monitor the progression of the chest wall deformity over time. This white light scan is done by the Orthotics teams at four locations: Lurie Children’s Outpatient Centers in Northbrook, Lincoln Park, Westchester and the main hospital. 
5. CT Scan – depending on the age of the child and the severity of the condition, the surgeon may also order a CT scan of the chest. In addition to the white light scan, if needed, this test will be used to measure the precise severity and depth of the sunken chest. This test is done at Lurie Children’s main hospital.

All of the test results will be reviewed to determine the best course of treatment. Both surgical and non-surgical options will be evaluated. Learn more about pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum treatments.