N
The Global Insight

What is the sternal angle

Author

John Johnson

Updated on April 17, 2026

The sternal angle is an important clinical landmark for identifying many other anatomical points: It marks the point at which the costal cartilages of the second rib articulate with the sternum. This is particularly useful when counting ribs to identify landmarks as rib one is often impalpable.

Where is the sternal angle?

The sternal angle, which varies around 162 degrees in males, marks the approximate level of the 2nd pair of costal cartilages, which attach to the second ribs, and the level of the intervertebral disc between T4 and T5. In clinical applications, the sternal angle can be palpated at the T4 vertebral level.

Where does trachea bifurcate sternal angle?

The bifurcation can be located anywhere between the levels of the fourth and seventh thoracic vertebrae. Most commonly it is located at the level of the sternal angle and vertebra T5.

What is true sternal angle?

The sternal angle (angle of Louis) is the name of the manubriosternal joint. It is a fibrocartilage joint that allows for some movement acting like a hinge so that the body can move anteriorly during deep inspiration.

Where does the sternal angle lie quizlet?

The sternal angle (angle of Louis) is located where and what is it a landmark for? It is located between the manubrium and the body of the sternum– located at the articulation of the 2nd ribs.

Why is it called angle of Louis?

1 This anatomic landmark is named after the French surgeon Antoine Louis (1723–1792). Since then, the medical literature has variously described this landmark as the Angle of Louis, Lewis, and Ludwig. … The anatomic verification of this distance comes from relatively few cadaver studies.

What is thoracic vertebra?

Thoracic vertebrae are the twelve vertebral segments (T1-T12) that make up the thoracic spine. These structures have very little motion because they are firmly attached to the ribs and sternum (breastbone).

Can you feel manubrium?

Xiphoid process The manubrium of the sternum is the superior part of the sternum. The manubrium has the following features: Jugular notch (suprasternal notch) – you can palpate this notch yourself if you feel in the midline between the proximal ends of your clavicles.

What is sternum in body?

The sternum is a partially T-shaped vertical bone that forms the anterior portion of the chest wall centrally. The sternum is divided anatomically into three segments: manubrium, body, and xiphoid process. The sternum connects the ribs via the costal cartilages forming the anterior rib cage.

Who discovered the sternal angle of Louis?

The Angle of Louis, more commonly known as the sternal angle or the manubriosternal joint (MSJ), was first described by Pierre Charles Alexandre Louis, a 19 th century Frenchman who postulated that increased angulation was associated with worsening progression of emphysema [1] .

Article first time published on

Where is the first intercostal space?

Intercostal spaceTA21102FMA12243Anatomical terminology

What is anterior to the trachea?

The trachea lies in the superior mediastinum. Anteriorly, it is covered from before backward by the manubrium sterni, the remains of the thymus, the left brachiocephalic (innominate) vein, the aortic arch, the brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid arteries, and the deep cardiac plexus.

How do you find the sternal angle of Louis?

To find it on yourself, place your fingers gently at the base of your throat in a central position and move your fingers downward until you can feel the top of the sternum, or rib cage. From this position, continue to move your fingers downward until you feel a boney lump. This is the “angle of Louis”.

What is the importance of the sternal angle?

Clinical Significance The sternal angle is an important clinical landmark for identifying many other anatomical points: It marks the point at which the costal cartilages of the second rib articulate with the sternum. This is particularly useful when counting ribs to identify landmarks as rib one is often impalpable.

Where is the manubrium bone located?

The manubrium (Latin for “handle”) is the broad upper part of the sternum. It has a quadrangular shape, narrowing from the top, which gives it four borders. The suprasternal notch (jugular notch) is located in the middle at the upper broadest part of the manubrium. This notch can be felt between the two clavicles.

Which structure separates the thoracic cavity from the abdomen?

The diaphragm is a thin dome-shaped muscle which separates the thoracic cavity (lungs and heart) from the abdominal cavity (intestines, stomach, liver, etc.). It is involved in respiration, drawing downward in the chest on inhalation, and pushing upward in exhalation.

Where is T7 located?

The T7 vertebra is the seventh thoracic vertebra, found in the middle of the chest between the seventh and eighth pairs of ribs. It plays important roles in the support of the spinal cord, ribcage, and muscles of the chest.

Where is T5 and T6 in the spine?

T5: Fifth thoracic vertebra. T6: Sixth thoracic vertebra. T7: Seventh thoracic vertebra.

What does T7 and T8 control?

T3, T4, and T5 feed into the chest wall and aid in breathing. T6, T7, and T8 can feed into the chest and/or down into the abdomen. T9, T10, T11, and T12 can feed into the abdomen and/or lower in the back.

How many true ribs do humans have?

In humans there are normally 12 pairs of ribs. The first seven pairs are attached directly to the sternum by costal cartilages and are called true ribs. The 8th, 9th, and 10th pairs—false ribs—do not join the sternum…

What is typical rib?

Ribs three to nine are the ‘typical’ ribs and the major landmarks are the head, neck, tubercle and body.

Where is the false rib?

False rib: One of the last five pairs of ribs. A rib is said to be false if it does not attach to the sternum (the breastbone). The upper three false ribs connect to the costal cartilages of the ribs just above them.

Is the manubrium part of the sternum?

The manubrium. The manubrium is the thickest and strongest portion of the sternum and is therefore the area that is most likely to survive inhumation. It is broad and thick along its superior margin and narrows towards its inferior articulation with the mesosternum (Jit et al., 1980).

What is sternal notch?

1132. FMA. 7542. Anatomical terms of bone. The suprasternal notch, also known as the fossa jugularis sternalis, or jugular notch, or Plender gap is a large, visible dip in between the neck in humans, between the clavicles, and above the manubrium of the sternum.

Is the sternum axial or appendicular?

The 80 bones of the axial skeleton form the vertical axis of the body. They include the bones of the head, vertebral column, ribs and breastbone or sternum. The appendicular skeleton consists of 126 bones and includes the free appendages and their attachments to the axial skeleton.

What's the bone in the middle of your chest?

The sternum, or breastbone, is a long flat bone in the center of the chest.

What does your breast bone look like?

The shape of the sternum looks somewhat like a sword pointing downwards, with the manubrium forming the handle, the body forming the blade, and the xiphoid process forming the tip. In fact, the name manubrium means “handle,” gladiolus means “sword,” and xiphoid means “sword-shaped.”

What organ is in the middle of your chest?

In fact, each day, the average heart beats 100,000 times, pumping about 2,000 gallons (7,571 liters) of blood. Your heart is located between your lungs in the middle of your chest, behind and slightly to the left of your breastbone (sternum).

Where is 5th intercostal space?

The apex (the most inferior, anterior, and lateral part as the heart lies in situ) is located on the midclavicular line, in the fifth intercostal space. It is formed by the left ventricle. The base of the heart, the posterior part, is formed by both atria, but mainly the left.

How much is Louis angle?

The sternal angle (angle of Louis) is the anterior angle formed by the junction of the manubrium and the body of the sternum which varies around 162 degrees in males.

What is the space between ribs called?

The intercostal spaces (spaces between the ribs) are largely occupied by muscles (intercostal muscles), which, in association with other muscles of the thorax, move the ribs during breathing.