Cupping at the ends of ribs is not always rickets

Description

A 7-week-old baby boy presented with a history of cough, loose stools and respiratory distress since last 7 days. At admission he had a respiratory rate of 64/min, a heart rate of 144/min and an oxygen saturation of 56%. Chest examination revealed crepitations in both lung fields. Rest of the examination was unremarkable. Investigations revealed haemoglobin 82 g/L; white cell count 11.2x10⁹/L (differential counts: polymorphs 68%, lymphocytes 1%, monocytes 26% and eosinophils 5%); absolute lymphocyte count 0.11x10⁹/L; platelet count 102x10⁹/L and C reactive protein 239 g/L. Chest X-ray showed non-homogenous opacities in bilateral lung fields (more on right side) with an absent thymic shadow, cupping at the anterior end of ribs (black arrow, figure 1), flattening of lower end of the right scapula (white arrow, figure 1) and a spur at the inferior-lateral angle of the left scapula (white arrow head, figure 1). These characteristic radiological changes (ie, cupping at...

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