The diaphragm

Intrinsic disorders of the diaphragm are uncommon. However, the diaphragm is a useful radiographic landmark for detecting adjacent pulmonary, pleural and abdominal abnormalities, which may lead to the elevation of one or both hemidiaphragms or to focal irregularities in the diaphragmatic contour. In this review the authors summarize the most common diaphragmatic abnormalities and suggest the optimal approach for each to allow a specific diagnosis.