A 47-year-old male construction worker is brought to the trauma bay 30 minutes after a 6-meter fall onto his right side. He presents with severe respiratory distress, RR 34, SpO₂ 84% on room air, and visible paradoxical chest wall movement. Portable AP chest radiograph shows fractures of ribs 4–8, each fractured in two or more places, creating a free-floating segment of the right lateral chest wall. The structure marked **A** in the diagram represents this finding. Which of the following BEST defines the radiographic hallmark of flail chest?
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