Broadbent sign
Encyclopedia
Broadbent sign is a clinical sign
in which the 11th and 12th ribs
are indrawn, with narrowing of the intercostal space
posteriorly, which is seen in cases of constrictive pericarditis
due to pericardial
adhesions to the diaphragm
.
The sign is named after Walter Broadbent
, and was published in his first paper in 1895, although it may have been inspired by his father, Sir William Broadbent
.
Medical sign
A medical sign is an objective indication of some medical fact or characteristic that may be detected by a physician during a physical examination of a patient....
in which the 11th and 12th ribs
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
are indrawn, with narrowing of the intercostal space
Intercostal space
The intercostal space is the space between two ribs . Since there are 12 ribs on each side, there are 11 intercostal spaces, each numbered for the rib superior to it.-Structures in intercostal space:* several kinds of intercostal muscle...
posteriorly, which is seen in cases of constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis
In many cases, constrictive pericarditis is a late sequela, in other words a condition that is the consequence of a previous disease, of an inflammatory condition of the pericardium...
due to pericardial
Pericardium
The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels.-Layers:...
adhesions to the diaphragm
Thoracic diaphragm
In the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm, or simply the diaphragm , is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in respiration...
.
The sign is named after Walter Broadbent
Walter Broadbent
Dr. Walter Broadbent was an English physician remembered for describing the Broadbent sign of constrictive pericarditis.- Biography :...
, and was published in his first paper in 1895, although it may have been inspired by his father, Sir William Broadbent
William Broadbent
Sir William Henry Broadbent, 1st Baronet was an English neurologist who was born in Lindley, now part of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He studied medicine at Owens College and the Royal School of Medicine in Manchester...
.