Sternal cleft: prenatal multimodality imaging

Abstract

Sternal clefts have been reported sporadically, but there are no reports describing complete investigations of the malformation. We describe a child with isolated inferior sternal cleft diagnosed at 33 weeks of gestation and thoroughly investigated by prenatal US, MRI and CT and preoperative US. Our report highlights the importance of accurate and in-depth investigation by multimodality imaging that allows detection of accompanying serious anomalies and, hence, forms the basis for informed parental counselling and for postnatal interdisciplinary care.