Shred sign (lungs)

Last revised by Francis Deng on 11 Apr 2020

The shred sign, also known as the fractal sign, is a static sonographic sign of lung consolidation. Consolidated lung tissue appears as a subpleural hypoechoic region that has an irregular (shredded) deep border (fractal line) abutting normally aerated lung, which has echogenic artifacts.

This sign is not seen in massive translobar consolidation, where it is more difficult to appreciate the deeper border of the lung. It has a high sensitivity and specificity.

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