title: Sternalis muscle: an underestimated anterior chest wall anatomical variant.
abstract: Over the recent years, an increased alertness for thorough knowledge of anatomical variants with clinical significance has been recorded in order to minimize the risks of surgical complications. We report a rare case of bilateral strap-like sternalis muscle of the anterior chest wall in a female cadaver. Its presence may evoke alterations in the electrocardiogram or confuse a routine mammography. The incidental finding of a sternalis muscle in mammography, CT, and MRI studies must be documented in a patient's medical records as it can be used as a pedicle flap or flap microvascular anastomosis during reconstructive surgery of the anterior chest wall, head and neck, and breast. Moreover, its presence may be misdiagnosed as a wide range of benign and malignant anterior chest wall lesions and tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany. a.raikos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raikos
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Paraskevas
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tzika
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faustmann
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Triaridis
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kordali
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kitsoulis
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brand-Saberi
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D013249:Sternum; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery