Diagnostic imaging appearance and significance of sternal lymphadenopathy

RADIOLOGY HH UK Vet Vol 11 No 1 January 2006 29 ANATOMIC REVIEW The sternal lymph nodes (LN) usually lie medially to the second costal cartilage or second interchondral space, cranioventral to the internal thoracic blood vessels (Fig. 1). Typically there are two sternal LN one on each side of the midline, but the number may vary between none and two. Normally, on gross dissection the normal LN are ellipsoidal and 2-20 mm in length.When the two LN are in close proximity they may be mistaken for a single node.