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Barrel chest generally refers to a broad, deep chest found on a man. A man described as barrel chested will usually have a naturally large ribcage, very round torso, large lung capacity, and can potentially have great upper body strength. It can sometimes be a sign of acromegaly (a syndrome resulting from excess levels of human growth hormone (HGH) in the body). It is most commonly related to osteoarthritis as individuals age. Arthritis can stiffen the chest causing the ribs to become fixed in their most expanded position, giving the appearance of a barrel chest. Barrel chest also refers to an increase in the anterior posterior diameter of the chest wall resembling the shape of a barrel, most often associated with emphysema. There are two main causes of the barrel chest phenomenon in emphysema: # Increased compliance of the lungs leads to the accumulation of air pockets inside the thoracic cavity. # Increased compliance of the lungs increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure allows the chest wall to naturally expand outward. ==See also== * Barrel * Respiratory examination * Pectus carinatum 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Barrel chest」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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