[Congenital thoracic defects demonstrated by radiophotography]

Costal congenital defects are malformations or anomalies of dimension, location or structure of the ribs, generated by disturbances of prenatal development. These anomalies appear in mesoderm which also gives rise to skeleton, muscles, serums, conjunctive tissues, circulatory system and urogenital apparatus. Of the 59,225 persons examined, 502 had costal congenital defects. The presence of azygos lobe (Wrisberg's lobe) in 158 cases (0.26%), of right aortic (arcs high dextroposition of cross) in 2 cases and (3%000) dextroposition of heart in 6 cases (10%000), out of which a situs inversus (complete cardiovascular transposition) were noticed as congenital defects with common origin in embryonic mesoderm. Medical radiophotography can be used as a method in detecting congenital costal defects. Other defects in other organs can be also detected. The congenital costal defects found in an rf examined population, representing a part of the total of congenital malformations, may be one of their indirect epidemiologic indices. Their existence may lead to the explanation of the symptomatology of the nervous compressive type on brachiocephalic vascular, etc. plexus. As some of the defects are an excess of osseous and cartilaginous matter, they may be used, when indicated, as autografts.