Sternum's Clavicular Notch, Superior View

Description

Manubrium sterni fills the frame from a superior (cranial) viewpoint, centering the jugular (suprasternal) notch and the paired clavicular notches that cap the superolateral corners of the sternum. Each clavicular notch appears as a smooth, shallow concavity on the lateral margin, separated medially from the jugular notch by a short segment of the manubrial superior border. The articular surface faces superolaterally toward the medial end of the clavicle, while the anterior manubrial surface lies anterior to the notch and the posterior manubrial surface drops away toward the superior mediastinum. Bony contour tells the story. Clinically, the clavicular notch is the sternal component of the sternoclavicular joint, a synovial saddle joint stabilized by the anterior and posterior sternoclavicular ligaments, the interclavicular ligament spanning the jugular notch, and the costoclavicular ligament anchoring to the first rib and its cartilage just inferiorly. Trauma-related sternoclavicular dislocation, often anterior but occasionally posterior with risk to the brachiocephalic veins, trachea, and great vessels, is best understood when the clinician appreciates how little bony constraint the concave manubrial facet provides to the convex clavicular head. The superior perspective in this illustration keeps attention on the articular geometry and the tight medial relationship to the suprasternal notch, a key surface landmark for airway assessment and central venous access. Use this illustration in thoracic anatomy and osteology teaching, orthopedic and sports-medicine lectures on sternoclavicular joint injury patterns, and trauma publications discussing reduction techniques and cross-sectional imaging correlation at the thoracic inlet. It also supports surgical orientation for approaches that reference the suprasternal notch and manubrial landmarks in head-and-neck or mediastinal procedures. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.