Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Anatomy, Variation and Pathologies of Sternum, Sternoclavicular and Sternocostal Joints

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to assess the sternum's morphology and morphometry, and to find anomalies and diseases using breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: Retrospective evaluations of 320 breast MRIs were conducted. Congenital abnormalities accompanying pathological conditions were investigated. The sternum overall’s length, the manubrium-corpus’ width and length, and the manubrium-corpus-xiphoid’s shape were all measured. The relationship between the manubriosternal fusion and age was analyzed. Results: Pectus excavatum, sternal band, sternal foramen, angled sternum and the sternal band, rachitic rosary, intraosseous ganglion, sternoclavicular joint degeneration, sternoclavicular joint ganglion cyst and costal cartilage calcifications, breast carcinoma metastasis, enchondroma and invasion of costal cartilages by malignant mesenchymal tumour were determined. The average length of the sternum was 144±14 mm, the manubrium length is 46±6 mm and the corpus length is 89±10 mm for adults. Manubrium was most commonly trapezoid in shape, the corpus was longitudinal oval and xiphoid was flat. 67% had no manubriosternal fusion. The degree of manubriosternal fusion did not show statistically significant correlation with increasing age. Conclusion: The sternum, sternoclavicular, and sternocostal joints are susceptible to a wide range of congenital abnormalities and clinical conditions. Age increase has no relation to manubriosternal fusion.