[Objective determination of the shape of the anterior chest wall using moiré topography. Method and development of dimension-free indices for the evaluation of funnel chest].

Stereophotogrammetric measurement of body surface results in data, which are dependent on shape, posture and positioning of the patient. In order to establish a valid description and characterization of funnel chest measured by stereophotogrammetric methods, index numbers must be defined, which are independent of posture und positioning of the patient. This procedure is exemplified in the analysis of moiré topograms from 29 patients with funnel chest and 21 normal persons. The sagittal cross section is characterized by the index TI I, which in essential is the sum of absolute values of angles in a polygon along the section (cf. fig. 7). The funnel in the coronal cross section is characterized by the index TI II, which gives the quotient (in %) of the mean funnel width and funnel depth (cf. fig. 8). Application of the index numbers shows a good differentiation of TI I, independent of sex, whereas TI II might be most useful in follow up measurements.