When Every Rib Counts

Rib fractures are among the most frequently missed findings in trauma imaging, especially in high-pressure emergency settings. Traditional radiography can overlook more than half of rib fractures, particularly those that are nondisplaced or obscured by overlying structures. Even with CT, radiologists face a growing challenge: more images per study, more studies per day, and less time per scan. 

This is where technology like Open Rib from Vitrea® can make a difference. 

Emergency radiologists know that subtle rib fractures, particularly those contributing to conditions like flail chest, can be easily missed without the right tools. While CT imaging offers higher sensitivity than X-ray, it typically requires painstaking review of each rib in multiple planes, a process that is both time-consuming and prone to fatigue-related errors. 

Leveraging technology that automatically unfolds the rib cage into a single-plane view, directly within the PACS reading workflow, without requiring manual processing aims to solve these challenges. By eliminating the need to scroll through every rib and reconstruct planes manually, radiologists can assess all 24 ribs quickly and efficiently. The result is faster reads, improved accuracy, and better-informed trauma management. 

In one clinical example, Open Rib in Vitrea was deployed as part of the standard trauma protocol at a hospital performing over 500 polytrauma CT scans annually. In the case of a 58-year-old motorcycle accident patient, the Open Rib view enabled rapid detection of multiple rib fractures, including a life-threatening flail chest on the left side. Conventional multiplanar reconstruction would have required a time-intensive, rib-by-rib review, something not always feasible in an emergency setting. 

The study hospital reported up to a 54% reduction in trauma CT reading times when Open Rib was included in the diagnostic workflow. That’s valuable time gained when seconds count—for both radiologists and patients. 

As rib trauma continues to be an area where diagnostic oversights can significantly affect outcomes, solutions that improve both sensitivity and workflow efficiency are essential.  

The full case study detailing the clinical use of Open Rib—including imaging examples, workflow insights, and quantitative outcomes—is available now for download. 

Karthick Nalladevan
Product Manager 
Canon Medical Informatics