Abstract
The sternalis muscle (SM) is an anatomical variant that lies subcutaneously and is superficial to the pectoralis major muscle or sternum. The present meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the prevalence, anatomical features, and variance of the SM in different population. In total, 98 studies were included for this meta-analysis. Eighty-two studies dealt with adult subjects, and sixteen studies with fetuses. The worldwide prevalence of SM was observed to be 6% or 0.06 [0.05–0.7, 95% CI] in 27,470 adults, whereas it was 0.29 [0.20–0.39, 95% CI] in 673 fetuses. In 259 anencephalic fetuses, the prevalence was 44% or 0.44 [0.26–0.63, 95% CI], while the same in 414 fetuses without anencephaly was 16% or 0.16 [0.06–0.27, 95% CI]. The reported prevalence rate in Asian mongoloid population (9.1% = 0.091) was three times that of the Asian Caucasian population (3.33% = 0.0333). The prevalence in European descent was 3.93%. Interestingly, the reported prevalence rates in North and South American populations were 3.44% and 3.66%, almost being equivalent. The cadaveric investigations revealed that the SM had an overall prevalence of 5.96% in adults based on 76 studies, which was higher than other modalities of investigations. The multi-detector computerized tomography (MDCT) had shown the prevalence of approximately 4.33%. The same was reported in surgical studies and mammographic studies as 0.47% and 0.02%, respectively. The SM is not an unusual variant of the chest wall musculature. MDCT could be a new method to precisely demonstrate the morphology, course, and size of the SM in vivo.
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Asghar, A., Naaz, S., Narayan, R.K. et al. The prevalence and distribution of sternalis muscle: a meta-analysis of published literature of the last two hundred years. Anat Sci Int 97, 110–123 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-021-00632-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-021-00632-9