LaBan M M, Newman J M
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1984 Apr;65(4):203-4.
Six patients with occult sternal metastasis presenting with chest pain, and four with sternal deformity associated with "arthritis" had undergone routine roentgenographic examinations, reported as "normal." Subsequent laminography of the sternum demonstrated lytic lesions confirmed by needle biopsy. Adenocarcinoma of the lung and breast were identified in two each of four patients; myeloma and kidney neoplasms were the primary source of malignancy in the remaining two patients. In widespread malignancy, metastasis to the skeletal chest wall is a well-recognized occurrence. Infrequently, it can be an isolated manifestation of an occult or recurrent malignancy, initially overlooked when routine roentgenograms are read as normal. Although sternal x-rays remain the most important means of diagnosis, in suspected cases of sternal metastasis laminography alone may initially reveal lytic lesions.
6例隐匿性胸骨转移患者表现为胸痛，4例伴有与“关节炎”相关的胸骨畸形患者接受了常规X线检查，报告为“正常”。随后的胸骨体层摄影显示有溶骨性病变，经针吸活检证实。4例患者中各有2例被诊断为肺癌和乳腺癌；其余2例患者的原发性恶性肿瘤来源为骨髓瘤和肾肿瘤。在广泛的恶性肿瘤中，骨骼胸壁转移是一种公认的现象。很少见的是，它可能是隐匿性或复发性恶性肿瘤的孤立表现，当常规X线片被解读为正常时最初会被忽视。虽然胸骨X线检查仍然是最重要的诊断手段，但在怀疑有胸骨转移的病例中，仅体层摄影最初可能会显示溶骨性病变。
