Electron density mapping in spectral CT has certain diagnostic value for detecting rib fractures.

Limitations: (1) This study was conducted over a short period and did not collect enough follow-up cases of rib fractures to identify occult fractures based on bone callus formation as the gold standard. Therefore, further collection of cases undergoing rib CT follow-up is needed, with bone callus formation as the gold standard, to evaluate the value of electron density technology in detecting occult fractures; (2) The sample size of this study was small, and further expansion of the sample size is needed to validate the results and propose an accurate bilateral rib electron density difference as a reference diagnostic standard for rib fractures.