Funnel Chest vs. Pigeon Chest

Left picture: The diagnosis for this teenager is a funnel chest (= pectus excavatum). Right picture: In this case a so-called pigeon chest (= pectus carinatum) is present. A front view is insufficient for a precise description of an individual chest deformity; the chest wall must be inspected in a three-quarter and an exactly lateral view from the right and the left body side.

The front view shows a similar chest deformity in both well-built male teenagers. Both have a slight depression of the sternum in the midline. Left picture: Only in a three-quarter view from the left side which is shown at the bottom of the illustration of the front view, a deepening is obvious, involving both sides of the chest. Right picture: In this pathology the lower chest wall protrudes distinctly on a view from the left side which is visible in the picture at the bottom of the illustration with the front view.