title: Prevalence and variance of the sternalis muscle: a study in the Chinese population using multi-detector CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the prevalence, anatomical features, as well as variance of the sternalis muscle in the Chinese population using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 6,000 adult axial MDCT images to determine the overall and gender prevalence of the sternalis muscles. We also analyzed the side prevalence and anatomical features, including shape, size, location and course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sternalis muscle was present in 347 (5.8 %) of 6,000 adults. This muscle was more common in males (6.0 %, 187/3091) than in females (5.5 %, 160/2909). Among the 347 adults, 118 (34.0 %) had bilateral sternalis muscles; 148 (42.7 %) had right sternalis muscles; and 81 (23.3 %) had left sternalis muscles. The sternalis muscle was either flat or nodular and located superficial to the major pectoral muscles on CT axial transverse images. According to the muscle morphology and course, we classified sternalis muscles as three different types and nine subtypes. The muscles appeared with a single head and single belly in 58.5 %, double or multiple heads in 18.1 %, and double or multiple bellies in 23.4 %. The mean length, width and thickness were 111.1 ± 33.0, 17.7 ± 9.9 and 4.1 ± 1.7 mm measured on MDCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sternalis muscle was highly prevalent in normal Chinese adults. MDCT is an effective method to demonstrate this muscle in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Fenghua People's Hospital, Fenghua, 315500, China, gezf1975@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zufeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Yunlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Shiqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Lang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Xiangyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015995:Prevalence; D035441:Thoracic Wall
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