title: Morphology of the human xiphoid process: dissection and radiography of cadavers and MDCT of patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphology of xiphoid process by dissection and using radiography of cadavers and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The xiphoid processes of 41 cadavers were dissected and taken by radiography. Other 902 patients examined by MDCT were revealed by image post-processing used with multiple planar reconstruction, maximum intensity projection and volume rendering.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Xiphoid processes displayed pointed shape in 422 cases (44.75 %), oval shape in 387 cases (41.04 %), and forked shape in 134 cases (14.21 %). The sagittal shape of the xiphoid process was observed as ventrally deviated in 217 cases (23.01 %), dorsally deviated in 191 cases (20.25 %), S-shaped (ahead ventral, then dorsal) in 21 cases (2.23 %), and resembling a hook in 14 of ventral deviated patients and in 19 of those dorsal deviated patients. The foramen of xiphoid processes was found in 544 cases (57.69 %). The pattern L (a large foramen with a diameter of more than 5 mm) appeared in 302 cases (55.51 %), pattern S (a small foramen with a diameter of no more than 5 mm) in 155 cases (28.49 %), pattern LS (a mixture of a large and a small foramina) in 37 cases (6.80 %), and pattern SS (two or more small foramina) in 50 cases (9.19 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human xiphoid process appeared in morphological diversity. The anatomic structure and ossification degree of xiphoid process was well evaluated by MDCT. Our data may be used for diagnosis and surgical treatment of xiphoid process-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chonbuk National University Medical School, 567 Baekje-daero, Jeonju, 561-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yuan-Zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Bao-Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jae Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Gung Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Zhen-Bo
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiu Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ik Seong
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ok Hee
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Eui-Hyeog
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hyoung Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D014989:Xiphoid Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*