Spinnaker sign (mediastinum)

Last revised by Andrea Molinari on 3 Jun 2022

The spinnaker sign (also known as the angel wing sign) is a sign of pneumomediastinum seen on neonatal chest radiographs. It refers to the thymus being outlined by air with each lobe displaced laterally and appearing like spinnaker sails. This is distinct from the sail sign appearance of the normal thymus 1,2.

History and etymology

The thymic spinnaker sail sign was first described by John E Moseley (1909-1996) in 1960 3. John Moseley was a bone radiologist who spent most of his career at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital. He was the first African-American member of the Society of Pediatric Radiology and New York Roentgen Ray Society 4

See also

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