MRI Evaluation of Costal Cartilage Injuries

Injuries to costal cartilage are usually obvious on physical examination, but imaging might occasionally be helpful when diagnostic uncertainty or need for documentation (e.g., for a professional athlete) is present.

In this case series, radiologists reported magnetic resonance imaging findings for 13 patients who had 14 traumatic costal cartilage injuries (9 sports-related and 4 non–sports-related). All patients exhibited “edema-like” signals on MRI, and all but one had visible fracture lines at costochondral or sternochondral junctions. The site of injury was the first rib in seven patients, the second rib in two patients, and other ribs (ranging from the fourth to tenth) in the others.