What is the medical term for the inferior cartilaginous tip of the sternum?

What is the medical term for the inferior cartilaginous tip of the sternum?

• A. Manubrium
• B. Xiphoid process
• C. Sternal angle
• D. Body of sternum

Answer: (B)

The part at the bottom of the sternum is the xiphoid process. It is the inferior, cartilaginous tip that may remain cartilage in youth and can ossify with age, marking the end of the sternum. The upper portion is the manubrium, and the central portion is the body (gladiolus); the sternal angle is the junction between the manubrium and body, not the tip. Understanding these landmarks helps in locating structures and guiding procedures like CPR, where the xiphoid area is a key reference point.

The part at the bottom of the sternum is the xiphoid process. It is the inferior, cartilaginous tip that may remain cartilage in youth and can ossify with age, marking the end of the sternum. The upper portion is the manubrium, and the central portion is the body (gladiolus); the sternal angle is the junction between the manubrium and body, not the tip. Understanding these landmarks helps in locating structures and guiding procedures like CPR, where the xiphoid area is a key reference point.