Chest Expansion Less Than 2 Centimeters
A severely limited physical expansion of the rib cage during a deep breath, indicating rigid, scarred lungs that cannot stretch normally.
Description
The clinician wraps a measuring tape around the patient's chest at the level of the nipple line, measuring the circumference difference between maximal exhalation and inhalation. This traditional bedside technique objectively measures the physical stiffness of the lungs and chest wall over time. It helps track the progressive restrictive nature of severe fibrotic scarring.