Reliability of External Caliper-Based Measurements for Identifying Severe Pectus Excavatum: Results from a Multi-Institutional Regional Consortium

jpedsurg.org

Historically, methods for quantifying the severity of pectus excavatum (PE) have involved cross-sectional imaging. An external caliper-based metric, the Modified Percent Depth (MPD), has been described as a viable alternative to radiographic-based measurements such as the Pectus and Correction Indices for identifying severe PE in the clinic setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of the MPD among PE patients evaluated within a regional multicenter consortium of children’s hospitals.

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Article · Oct 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

This multi-institutional study evaluates the Modified Percent Depth (MPD), an external caliper measurement tool, as a reproducible alternative to CT-based imaging for assessing pectus excavatum severity in pediatric patients. The research addresses the clinical need for reliable, radiation-free methods to identify severe cases requiring surgical intervention.

External caliper measurements (MPD) offer a radiation-free alternative to CT-based severity assessment for pectus excavatum in clinic.
Multi-institutional validation demonstrates MPD reproducibility across different pediatric centers and examiners.
MPD correlates with radiographic indices (Haller, Correction Index), enabling surgical candidacy screening without imaging.
Standardized external measurement protocols reduce imaging costs and radiation exposure in pediatric PE evaluation.
Consortium data supports MPD as reliable tool for identifying severe PE requiring surgical intervention.

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