Chest Wall and Diaphragmatic Injuries: Imaging Evaluation and Clinical Considerations

This review summarizes skeletal chest wall injuries and diaphragmatic injuries that may occur in patients with chest trauma. In Korea, most chest trauma results from blunt mechanisms and is closely associated with high-energy injuries, such as traffic accidents and falls. Skeletal chest wall and diaphragmatic injuries have a substantial impact on patient prognosis. This review describes the principal radiologic findings of rib fractures, sternal fractures, and diaphragmatic injuries and emphasizes that these findings are directly incorporated into injury severity scoring systems, thereby influencing treatment strategies and risk stratification. Radiologists should provide clear, detailed descriptions of injury patterns to support accurate severity assessment and guide therapeutic decision-making. Such reporting also facilitates consistent and clear communication across clinical care, administrative, and reimbursement processes.