Broken Ribs

During the physical exam, a health care provider might press gently on the ribs, listen to your lungs and watch your rib cage move as you breathe.

One or more of the following imaging tests might help with the diagnosis:

• X-ray. Using low levels of radiation, X-rays allow the bones to be seen. But X-rays might not show a fresh break, especially if the bone is only cracked. X-rays also can help diagnose a lung that has caved in.
• CT scan. This often can find breaks that X-rays might miss. CT scans also make it easier to see injuries to soft tissues and blood vessels.
• MRI. This scan can look for harm to the soft tissues and organs around the ribs. It also can help find smaller breaks.
• Bone scan. This is good for viewing cracked bones, also called stress fractures. A bone can crack after repetitive trauma, such as long bouts of coughing. During a bone scan, a small amount of radioactive material is injected into your bloodstream. It collects in the bones, particularly in places where a bone is healing, and is detected by a scanner.