Multiple rib fractures

What it means

More than one fracture of the ribs. Callus formation around multiple rib fractures can produce a row of multiple rounded expansions (beadlike prominences) giving the appearance of beaded ribs. Note that rachitic rosary would have one bead per rib (a swelling at the costochondral junction), while beaded ribs in the context of multiple rib fractures have multiple beads (fractures) along the same rib.

Rare diseases that can present with this3

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category