title: Sternohyoid muscle syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients presenting with neck mass are challenging for many otolaryngologists. If a mass on the lower lateral neck exists with swallowing and disappears after swallowing, it has been diagnosed as an omohyoid syndrome in most literature. The mechanism of sternohyoid syndrome has not been proven or investigated before. We investigated sternohyoid syndrome, commonly misdiagnosed as an omohyoid syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients were investigated. Outpatient photography, computed tomography and operating findings were reviewed. We found that the sternohyoid muscle was inserted at an abnormal site, the midportion of the clavicle. There was no abnormality of other muscles. We also reviewed all literature that previously diagnosed this condition as an omohyoid syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no literature about sternohyoid syndrome. We found that the abnormal muscle is a sternohyoid muscle and not omohyoid muscle. The color of the left sternohyoid muscle was dark red, and the fascia covering the muscle was denuded. The muscle had lost elasticity and moved abnormally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our patients did not have omohyoid syndrome. The symptoms of omohyoid syndrome are the same as sternohyoid syndrome but the problematic muscle is different. This is the first known report diagnosing sternohyoid syndrome, and should be a consideration in the diagnosis of a lateral neck mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: khhong@chonbuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ki Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Clinical Medicine Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Baek Hwa
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D035583:Rare Diseases; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods