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Published ahead of print on May 28, 2003, doi:10.1164/rccm.200208-876OC

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 168, Number 3, August 2003, 305-312

A more recent version of this article appeared on August 1, 2003
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Submitted on August 16, 2002
Accepted on May 15, 2003

Gender differences in thoracic dimensions and configuration

Francois Bellemare1*, Alphonse Jeanneret2, and Jacques Couture3

1 Research Center and Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Anesthesiology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2 Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Center and Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Center and Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 3 Anesthesiology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Center and Pneumology, Hotel-Dieu du CHUM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: francois.bellemare{at}umontreal.ca.

The volume of adult female lungs is typically 10-12% smaller than that of males having the same height and age. In this study we investigated how this volume difference is distributed between the rib cage and the diaphragm abdomen compartments. Internal rib cage dimensions, diaphragm position relative to spine and diaphragm length were compared in 21 normal male and 19 normal female subjects at 3 different lung volumes using anterior-posterior and lateral chest radiographs. At all lung volumes examined, females had smaller radial rib cage dimensions in relation to height than males, a greater inclination of ribs, a comparable diaphragm dome position relative to spine and a shorter diaphragm length. Female subjects exhibited a greater inspiratory rib cage muscle contribution during resting breathing than males presumably reflecting an improved mechanical advantage conferred to these muscles by the greater inclination of ribs. Because of a greater inclination of ribs females rib cages could accommodate a greater volume expansion. The results suggest a disproportionate growth of the rib cage in females relative to the lung which would be well suited to accommodate large abdominal volume displacements as in pregnancy.
Key words: chest wall, lung size, respiratory muscles, rib cage, diaphragm




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