Eurysternum (extra-wide sternum)--a rarely recognized developmental anomaly. Scintigraphic appearances

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Radiology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• The sternum, or breastbone, is a key component of the thoracic cage.
• Developmental abnormalities of the sternum are uncommon but can have clinical significance.
• Bone scintigraphy is a sensitive imaging technique for evaluating skeletal structures.

Observation:

• Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate bone scans revealed an unusually wide sternum in two adult patients.
• One patient presented with prostate cancer and an incidental finding of an extra-wide sternum.
• The second patient had lung carcinoma and an extra-wide sternum associated with pectus excavatum.

Findings:

• The study proposes the term "eurysternum" for this rare developmental abnormality, meaning broad or wide sternum.
• Two additional cases are described: one with a different type of wide sternum and another with a mesosternal foramen (fenestra sternii).
• Embryological and developmental anatomical aspects of the sternum are reviewed in relation to these findings.

Implications:

• "Eurysternum" may represent a previously underrecognized congenital sternal anomaly.
• Understanding sternal variations is crucial for accurate radiological interpretation.
• Further research into the embryology of sternal development may elucidate the origins of such anomalies.