Haller index
The Haller index, created in 1987 by J. Alex Haller, S. S. Kramer, and S. A. Lietman, is a mathematical relationship that exists in a human chest section observed with a CT scan. It is defined as the ratio of the transverse diameter and the anteroposterior diameter.
where:
More recent studies show that simple chest x-rays are just as effective as CT scans for calculating the Haller index and recommend replacing CT scans with CXR to reduce radiation exposure in all but gross deformities.
A normal Haller index should be about 2.5. Chest wall deformities such as pectus excavatum can cause the sternum to invert, thus increasing the index, which can reach 3.25 or even as high as 5.5
