Monday, January 30, 2012

Signs in Radiology in Alphabetical Order


A
Accordion sign
Appearance of bowel that may be seen with pseudomembranous colitis.
Air crescent sign
Appearance of cavitation that may be seen with invasive apergillosis (see also Monod sign).
Anteater's nose sign
Sign of calcaneonavicular tarsal coalition.
Apple Core lesion
Circumferential narrowing of the lumen secondary to colon cancer.

B
Ball on tee sign
Sign of papillary necrosis on IVU.
Banana sign
Seen on antenatal US and refers to a banana-shaped configuration of the cerebellum. Associated with neural tube defects.
Bat wing appearance (chest)
Classic chest radiography finding for pulmonary edema.
Bat wing appearance (neuro)
Appearance of 4th ventricle that may be seen with Joubert syndrome.
Bergman's coiled catheter sign
Sign of ureteral transitional cell carcinoma when a catheter coils in region of neoplasm (see also Goblet sign).
Bird's beak
Narrowing of the esophagus in achalasia.
Bird's beak sign or bird of prey sign
Narrowing of the colon in cecal volvulus.
Blade of grass
Paget disease.
Bone in bone sign
Appearance of spine that may be seen osteopetrosis.
Boot-shaped Heart
Appearance of heart that may be seen with tetralogy of Fallot.
Boxcar ventricles
Appearance of frontal horns that may be seen in Huntington's disease.
Breast in a breast
Term used to describe Fibroadenolipomas.
Bulging fissure sign
Bulging of a pulmonary fissure. Most commonly associated with Klebsiella pneumonia.
Bullet carpal bones
Appearance of carpal bones that may be seen with mucopolysaccharidoses.
Butterfly vertebrae
Results from failure of fusion of the lateral halves of the vertebral body because of persistent notochondal tissue between them.

C
C sign
Sign of talocalcaneal tarsal coalition.
Cake kidney
All renal tissue is fused into one pelvic mass and gives rise to two separate ureters which enter the bladder in normal relationship.
Canoe paddle ribs
 :Appearance of ribs that may be seen with mucopolysaccharidoses.
Celery stalking
Irregular appearance of metaphyses in patients with rubella. Also used to describe metaphyses in patients with osteopathia striata.
Central dot sign
Sign of Caroli's disease.
Champagne sign
Specific but not commonly seen ultrasound finding for emphysematous cholecystitis.
Cloverleaf skull
Appreance of the skull that may be seen with thanatophoric dysplasia.
Cluster of grapes
Appearance that may be seen with pneumatosis cystoides coli.
Cobra head sign
Dilatation of the distal ureter which may be seen in patients with ureteroceles.
Coffee bean sign
Sigmoid volvulus.
Collar sign
Sign of diaphragmatic rupture.
Comet sign
Sign to differential a phlebolith from a ureteral stone. Calcified phlebolith represents the comet nucleus  and the adjacent, tapering, noncalcified portion of the vein is the comet tail (also see soft-tissue rim sign).
Comet tail sign
Produced by the distortion of vessels and bronchi that lead to an adjacent area of round atelectasis.
Cord sign
Sign of intracranial dural sinus thrombosis.
Corkscrew collaterals
Appearance of collaterals that may be seen in patients with Buerger disease.
Corkscrew sign
Upper GI series sign of midgut volvulus.
Corduroy appearance
Appearance of thickening trabeculations seen in intraosseous hemangiomas of the spine. See also polka-dot pattern.
Crazy-paving sign
Nonspecific appearance consisting of linear network or reticular pattern with areas of ground-glass opacification. Classically associated with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.
Crossover sign
Anterior acetabular rim is projected laterally relative to the same point of the posterior rim in the superolateral aspect of the acetabulum. See with pincer type femoroacetabular impingement.
Cyclops lesion
May occur status post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

D
David Letterman sign
:Sign of scapholunate ligament disruption (also see Terry Thomas sign).
Dense vessel sign
Sign of cerebrovascular accident that represent thrombus in the middle cerebral artery.
Dependent viscera sign
Sign of diaphragmatic rupture (viscera falls to a dependent position).
Dot and dash pattern
Sacral insufficiency fracture.
Double bleb sign
Appearance of amnion and yolk sac at 5-6 weeks. Embryo lies between amnion and yolk sac
Double bubble sign
Sign of duodenal atresia and other forms of duodenal obstruction.
Double decidua sign
Sign of early normal intrauterine gestation.
Double density sign (cardiac)
Sign of left atrial enlargement when right side of the left atrium pushes into the adjacent lung.
Double density sign (Nucs)
Pattern of uptake that may be seen on bone scans in patients with osteoid osteomas.
Double duct sign
Simultaneous dilatation of the common bile and pancreatic ducts that is generally caused by a tumor in the pancreatic head.
Double PCL sign
MRI sign of a bucket-handle meniscal tear.
Double track sign
:Appearance of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis that may be seen on upper GI series.
Draped aorta sign
Sign of contained rupture of an abdominal aoric aneurysm.
Drooping lily sign
Inferolateral displacement of the opacified lower pole moiety in a duplex kidney from an obstructed (unopacified) upper pole moeity.

E
Egg on a string
Appearance of the heart that may be seen with transposition of great arteries.
Empty delta sign
Sign of intracranial dural sinus thrombosis.
Epicardial fat pad sign
Sign of a pericardial effusion.
Eye of the tiger sign
low signal intensity circumscribing the globus pallidus in patients with Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome.

F
Faceless kidney
Appearance of kidney secondary to any process that obliterates renal sinus (i.e. lymphoma, transitional cell carcinoma).
Fallen fragment sign
Sign of a pathologic fracture seen with unicameral bone cysts.
Feeding vessel sign
Sign of pulmonary septic emboli.
Flame shaped (Breast)
Gynecomastia.
Flame shaped (MSK)
Paget disease.
Fat halo sign
Seen in various diseases of the bowel in which fatty infiltration of the submucosa is present.
Fat ring sign
Preservation of the perivascular fat around the mesenteric vessels that may be seen with mesenteric panniculitis.
Flat tire sign
Sign of a ruptured globe.
Flat waist sign
Appearance of left heart border that may be seen with left lower lobe atelectasis.
Figure 3 sign
Appearance of the aorta that may be seen in patients with coarctation of the aorta.
Figure of eight
Appearance of the brain in pachygyria.
Finger in glove sign
Sign of mucous plugging seen with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
Fish vertebrae.
Description of shape of vertebral bodies that may be seen in patients with sickle cell disease. See also: H-shaped vertebral bodies.
Football sign
Sign of pneumoperitoneum seen on supine radiographs.

G
Gastrointestinal string sign
Sign of Crohn disease.
Goblet sign
Sign of ureteral transitional cell carcinoma that may be seen on retrograde or intravenous urography (see also Bergman's coiled catheter sign).
Gull wing appearance
Appearance of erosions that may occur in patients with erosive osteoarthritis.

H
H-shaped vertebral bodies
Shape of vertebral bodies that may be seen in patients with sickle cell disease. See also: Fish vertebrae.
Halo sign
Ground-glass attenuation surrounding a pulmonary nodule or mass on CT images. Represents hemorrhage and is highly suggestive of Aspergillus.
Hampton's hump
Triangular opacity secondary to infarction in the periphery of the lung distal to a pulmonary embolism. 
Head cheese sign
Sign of subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Hidebound sign
On small bowel series, crowding of folds in dilated loops of small bowel may be seen in patients with scleroderma.
High-attenuating crescent sign
Sign of impending abdominal aoric aneurysm rupture.
Hole within a hole
Appearance that may be seen when eosinophilic granuloma involves the skull.
Holly leaf appearance
Chest radiograph finding that may be seen with asbestos pleural plaques.
Honda sign
Sacral insufficiency fracture.
Hot cross bun sign
May be seen on axial T2 weighted images of the pons in multiple system atrophy.
Hot nose sign
Sign that may be observed on brain flow scans in patients with brain death.
Hourglass appearance
MRI appearance that may be seen with concentric cystic adventitial disease.

I
Interstitial line sign
Sign that may be seen with an interstitial ectopic pregnancy.
Inverted Napoleon's hat sign
Sign of severe spondylolisthesis at the lumbosacral junction.
Ivory vertebra sign
Increase in opacity of a vertebral body that retains its size and contours, with no change in the opacity and size of adjacent intervertebral disks.

J
Juxtaphrenic peak sign
Tenting of the diaphragm that may be seen with right upper lobe atelectasis.

K
Keyhole sign
US appearance that may be seen with posterior urethral valves.

L
Lace like
Pattern that may be seen with sarcoid arthropathy.
Lace-like pattern
Ultrasound appearance of hemorrhagic ovarian cysts.
Lacunar skull
Appearance of skull that may be seen in infants with Chiari II malformation.
Lambda sign
On a Gallium-67 citrate scan, uptake in the hilar and paratracheal lymph nodes gives the appearance of a lambda. This is seen in sarcoidosis.
Lead pipe
Narrowing of colon with loss of haustra that may be seen in patients with ulcerative colitis.
Linguine sign
MRI sign that may be seen in patients with intracapsular breast implant rupture.
Lobster claw sign
Sign of papillary necrosis on IVU.
Lollipop
Appearance of diverticula that may been seen on HSG in patients with adenomyosis.
Luftsichel sign
"Air cresent". Sign that may be seen with left upper lobe atelectasis.

M
Mark Morton sign
Throckmorton's sign with a small penis.
Mercedes Benz sign
Appearance of gas within gallstones.
Moulage sign
Effaced loop of bowel that may be seen on a small bowel series in sprue.
Molar tooth sign (GU)
Perivesicular extravasation of contrast on CT cystogram in a patient with extraperitoneal bladder rupture.
Molar tooth sign (Neuro)
Enlarged and horizontally directed tubular structure on each side of the midline emerging from the midbrain in patients with Joubert syndrome.
Monod sign
Air surrounding an aspergilloma (Also see air crescent sign).
Mount Fuji sign
CT sign of tension pneumocephalus.

N
Naclerio's V sign
V shaped lucency that may be seen over the left lower mediastinium in pneumomediastinum.
Nipple sign
Appearance of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis that may be seen on ultrasound.
Nubbin sign
Reflux nephropathy involving the lower pole of a duplicated collecting system.
Nutmeg liver
Pattern of liver enhancement seen with passive congestion.

O
Onion ring appearance
US appearance that may be seen with a testicular epidermoid cyst.

P
Paintbrush appearance
Linear striations of contrast material opacifing collecting tubules that may be seen with medullary sponge kidney.
Panda sign
On a Gallium-67 citrate scan, uptake in the lacrimal and salivary glands gives the appearance of a panda. This is suggestive of sarcoidosis.
Parallel track sign
Pattern of uptake that may be seen on bone scan in patients with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.
Pear-shaped bladder
Bladder assumes the shape of a pear when it undergoes extrinsic compression due to excess tissue in the pelvis.
Pearl necklace sign
MRI sign that may be seen with adenomyomatosis.
Pencil in cup deformity
Erosion pattern of digits that may be seen in patients with psoriatic arthritis.
Picture frame vertebral body
Thicken cortex of vertebral bodies that may be seen in patients with Paget disease.
Picket fence
Appearance of bowel that may be seen on small bowel series with Whipple disease or gastrointestinal amyloidosis.
Pistol grip deformity
Appearance of the proximal femur that may be seen with cam type femoroacetabular impingement.
Playboy bunny sign
US sign of the appearance of the confluence of the hepatic veins with the IVC.
Polka-dot pattern
Appearance of thickening trabeculations seen in intraosseous hemangiomas of the spine. See also Corduroy appearance.
Porcelain gallbladder
Calcification of the gallbladder wall.
Putty kidney
Appearance that may be seen with end-stage renal tuberculosis.

R
Reversal sign
CT sign of anoxic brain injury where gray matter is lower in attenuation that white matter (the opposite is normal).
Reversed halo sign
Relatively specific sign of pulmonary nodules in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia.
Ribbon bowel
Appearance of bowel that may be seen on barium studies in graft versus host disease.
Ribbon ribs
Appearance of ribs that may be seen with neurofibromatosis 1.
Rice kernel
CT appearance that may be seen with dacryolithiasis.
Rigler's sign
Sign of pneumoperitoneum where both sides of a loop of bowel are outlined by air.
Rim sign
On cholescintigraphy, increased uptake is seen in the region of the gallbladder fossa. Sign is specific for acute cholecystitis.
Ring of fire sign
US finding. Hypervascular ring in the adnexa that may be seen with either ectopic pregnancy or corpus luteum.
Ring sign
CT sign of epiploic appendagitis.
Rosary sign
CT sign that may be seen with adenomyomatosis.
Rugger jersey spine sign
Appearance of spine that may be seen with hyperparathyroidism.

S
S sign of Golden
Right upper lobe atelectasis created by a central mass. Should raise the suspicion of a central neoplasm.
Saber-sheath trachea
Appearance of trachea that may be seen with COPD.
Saber shin
Appearance of tibia that may be seen with syphilis.
Sandstorm appearance
Appearance of lungs that may be seen in pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis.
Salt and pepper pattern
Flow voids seen in glomus tumors.
Salt and pepper skull
Appearance of skull that may be seen in patients with hyperparathyroidism.
Sandwich sign
Bulky lymphoma encasing mesenteric vessels.
Sandwich vertebra
Sclerotic endplates that may be seen with osteopetrosis.
Sausage digit
Soft tissue swelling of digits in patients with psoriatic arthritis.
Scimitar sign
MRI appearance that may be seen with eccentric cystic adventitial disease.
Scottie dog
On oblique radiographs, the posterior elements form the appearance of a Scottie dog. Spondylolysis can have the appearance of a collar around the neck.
Shepard's crook deformity
Appearance of proximal femur that may be seen with fibrous dyplasia.
Shoulder sign
Appearance of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis that may be seen on upper GI series.
Signet ring sign (Chest)
Sign of bronchiectasis.
Signet ring sign (GU)
Sign of papillary necrosis on IVU.
Small heart sign
Sign of tension pneumopericardium.
Snowman
Appearance of heart that may be seen with supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return.
Snowstorm pattern (breast)
US pattern for breast implant rupture.
Snowstorm pattern (Ob/gyn)
US pattern for a molar pregnancy.
Soft-tissue rim sign
Appearance of a ureteral edema surrounding a calculus. Helps differentiates a calculus from a phlebolith (also see comet sign).
Spade shape
Shape of tufts that may be seen with acromegaly.
Spalding sign
Overlapping cranial sutures. Sign of fatal demise on prenatal ultrasound.
Spider web
Appearnace of collateral vessels that may be seen on hepatic venography in Budd-Chiari syndrome.
Spinnaker sail sign
Elevation of the thymus by air that may be seen with pneumomediastinum.
Spinning top urethra
Split pleura sign
CT sign of thoracic empyema.
Spoke wheel enhancement pattern (GU)
May be seen with oncocytomas
Spoke wheel enhancement pattern (GI)
May be seen with focal nodular hyperplasia.
Spokewheel sign (GI)
Pattern of mesentery that may be seen with small bowel volvulus.
Starry sky
US appearance that may be seen with hepatitis.
Steeple sign
Appearance of narrowing of the subglottic tracheal lumen that may be seen with croup.
Stepladder sign
US sign that may be seen in patients with intracapsular breast implant rupture.
Straight line sign
PET sign of peritoneal carcinomatosis.
Strawberry skull
Appearance of skull that may be seen on fetal US with Trisomy 18.
String of beads
Appearnace of multiple stenosis that may be seen in patients with fibromuscular dysplasia.
String sign
Appearance of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis that may be seen on upper GI series.
Stripe sign
On a V/Q scan, subpleural activity in a region of decreased pulmonary perfusion. Sign is used to rule out pulmonary embolism.
Superior triangle sign
Sign that may be seen with right lower lobe atelectasis.

T
Talar beak
Sign of talocalcaneal tarsal coalition.
Tau sign
MRI sign of a persistent trigeminal artery.
Telephone receiver shaped femora
Appearance of femora that can be seen with thanatophoric dysplasia.
Terry Thomas sign
Sign of scapholunate ligament disruption (also see David Letterman sign).
Throckmorton's sign
The penis points to the pathology.
Thumb sign
Classic lateral radiographic finding for epiglotitis.
Thumbprinting
Sign of bowel wall thickening seen with entities such as ischemic bowel, diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Tip of the iceberg sign
Ultrasound sign that may be seen with mature cystic teratomas.
Tit sign
Appearance of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis that may be seen on upper GI series.
Tram-track sign (chest)
Sign of bronchiectasis.
Tram-track sign (neuro)
Sign of optic nerve meningioma.
Tram-track sign (neuro)
Appearance of cortical calcifications that may be seen with Sturge-Weber syndrome.
Tram-track sign (nucs)
Bone scan finding that may be seen with hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.
Tree in bud
Nonspecific pulmonary pattern seen on thin-section computed tomography.
Trident hand
Appearance of hands that may be seen with achondroplasia.
Trough line sign
In posterior shoulder dislocation, frontal radiographs reveal two nearly parallel lines in the superomedial aspect of the humeral head.

U
Umbrella sign
Sign of a ruptured globe.

W
Wall-echo-shadow sign
Sign of cholelithiasis on US when the gallbladder is filled with calculi.
Waterlily sign
Sign of hydatid cyst.
Watering can perineum
Sign of fisula formation secondary to periurethral abscess.
Wave sign
Sign produced by lateral indentation of thymus by adjacent anterior ribs. This sign in seen in the pediatric population and represents a normal thymus.
Whirlpool Sign
US sign of midgut volvulus in a neonate.
Wimberger's ring sign
A circular, opaque radiologic shadow surroundsing epiphyseal centers of ossification in patients with scurvy.
Wimberger's sign
Symmetrical lesions seen in the proximal tibial medial metaphysis in patient's with syphilis.
Westermark's sign
Regional pulmonary oligemia secondary to pulmonary embolism.

Y
Yin-yang sign
Swirling blood flow pattern within a pseudoaneurysm.
Yo-yo on a string sign
MRI appearance of a Stener lesion (see Gamekeeper thumb) A
Accordion sign
Appearance of bowel that may be seen with pseudomembranous colitis.
Air crescent sign
Appearance of cavitation that may be seen with invasive apergillosis (see also Monod sign).
Anteater's nose sign
Sign of calcaneonavicular tarsal coalition.
Apple Core lesion
Circumferential narrowing of the lumen secondary to colon cancer.

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