[Rib notchings in Cooley's anemia].

In 3 cases of Cooley's anemia rib notchings were found. In the first case the clinical pattern did not allow to exclude postductal type of aortic coarctation and thus was performed a venous digital aortography (SVC) showing the integrity of the aortic arch and the absence of intercostal arterial collateral circulation. Only two previous descriptions of rib notchings in thalassemia were found in literature, and the authors shortly describe the 3 observed cases and suggest some possible pathogenetic interpretations either of rib notchings in thalassemia or of the relatively late appearance (adolescence) of rib notchings.