Decreased Unilateral Chest Expansion

MANUAL OF CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS

Decreased unilateral chest expansion refers to a reduction in the ability of one side of the thorax to expand properly during breathing. This clinical finding may indicate the presence of pathological conditions affecting one lung, the pleura, or the skeletal and muscular structures of the thorax.

Identifying the underlying cause is essential for providing appropriate treatment and preventing further complications.

Pathology	Clinical Symptoms and Signs	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Pneumothorax	Sudden chest pain, dyspnoea, decreased breath sounds on the affected side	Medical history, physical examination, reduced breath sounds	Chest X-ray, chest computed tomography (CT)
Lung Contusion from Trauma	Chest pain, dyspnoea, crepitus over the affected area	History of trauma, physical examination	Chest X-ray, chest CT
Severe Bacterial Infection	Fever, productive cough, chest pain, decreased breath sounds	Medical history, physical examination, lung auscultation	Chest X-ray, sputum culture, blood tests
Rib Fractures	Localised pain, tenderness to touch, deformity or bruising over the affected rib	History of trauma, physical examination	Chest X-ray, chest CT
Pleural Effusion	Dyspnoea, pleuritic chest pain, decreased breath sounds on the affected side	Physical examination, dull percussion over the effusion	Chest X-ray, thoracic ultrasound, chest CT
Musculoskeletal Cause	Localised chest pain, decreased expansion due to pain	History of trauma or physical exertion, physical examination	Chest X-ray, chest CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)