Sail sign (elbow)
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The sail sign on an elbow radiograph, also known as the anterior fat pad sign, describes the elevation of the anterior fat pad to create a silhouette similar to a billowing spinnaker sail from a boat. It indicates the presence of an elbow joint effusion.
The anterior fat pad is usually concealed within the coronoid fossa or seen parallelingparallelling the anterior humeral line. When there is a joint effusion, the anterior fat pad (which is intra-articular, but extrasynovial) becomes elevated.
Elevation of the anterior fat pad usually heralds the presence of an intra-articular fracture. In adults, this is usually a radial head fracture whereas in children, the commonest cause of a raised elbow fat pad is a supracondylar fracture.
Where a fat pad is raised and no fracture is demonstrated, an occult fracture should be suspected.
Video tutorial
{{youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1UYfi9zdOg}}
See also
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sail signs
- sail sign: the raised anterior fat pad on an elbow radiograph
- thymic sail sign: normal thymus on a paediatric chest radiograph
- spinnaker-sail sign (angel wing sign): thymus outlined in pneumomediastinum
- retrocardiac sail sign: left lower lobe collapse on a chest radiograph
- laryngeal sail sign: unilateral dilated laryngeal ventricle in vocal cord paralysis
-<p>The <strong>sail sign</strong> on an elbow radiograph, also known as the <strong>anterior fat pad sign</strong>, describes the elevation of the <a href="/articles/anterior-fat-pad">anterior fat pad</a> to create a silhouette similar to a billowing spinnaker sail from a boat. It indicates the presence of an <a href="/articles/elbow-joint-effusion">elbow joint effusion</a>.</p><p>The anterior fat pad is usually concealed within the <a href="/articles/coronoid-fossa">coronoid fossa</a> or seen paralleling the anterior humeral line. When there is a joint effusion, the anterior fat pad (which is intra-articular, but extrasynovial) becomes elevated.</p><p>Elevation of the anterior fat pad usually heralds the presence of an intra-articular fracture. In adults, this is usually a <a href="/articles/radial-head-fractures">radial head fracture</a> whereas in children, the commonest cause of a raised <a href="/articles/elbow-fat-pad">elbow fat pad</a> is a <a href="/articles/supracondylar-humeral-fracture-2">supracondylar fracture</a>. </p><p>Where a fat pad is raised and no fracture is demonstrated, an <a href="/articles/occult-fracture">occult fracture</a> should be suspected.</p><h4>Video tutorial</h4><p>{{youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1UYfi9zdOg}}</p><h4>See also</h4><ul><li>- +<p>The <strong>sail sign</strong> on an elbow radiograph, also known as the <strong>anterior fat pad sign</strong>, describes the elevation of the <a href="/articles/anterior-fat-pad">anterior fat pad</a> to create a silhouette similar to a billowing spinnaker sail from a boat. It indicates the presence of an <a href="/articles/elbow-joint-effusion">elbow joint effusion</a>.</p><p>The anterior fat pad is usually concealed within the <a href="/articles/coronoid-fossa">coronoid fossa</a> or seen parallelling the anterior humeral line. When there is a joint effusion, the anterior fat pad (which is intra-articular, but extrasynovial) becomes elevated.</p><p>Elevation of the anterior fat pad usually heralds the presence of an intra-articular fracture. In adults, this is usually a <a href="/articles/radial-head-fractures">radial head fracture</a> whereas in children, the commonest cause of a raised <a href="/articles/elbow-fat-pad">elbow fat pad</a> is a <a href="/articles/supracondylar-humeral-fracture-2">supracondylar fracture</a>. </p><p>Where a fat pad is raised and no fracture is demonstrated, an <a href="/articles/occult-fracture">occult fracture</a> should be suspected.</p><h4>Video tutorial</h4><p>{{youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1UYfi9zdOg}}</p><h4>See also</h4><ul><li>
Image 11 Annotated image (Lateral (annotated)) ( create )
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