Water bottle sign (heart)

Last revised by Rohit Sharma on 29 Sep 2024

The water bottle sign or configuration refers to the shape of the cardiac silhouette on erect frontal chest x-rays in patients who have a very large pericardial effusion. Typically the effusion has accumulated over many weeks to months (e.g. in patients with malignancy) causing the pericardium to be gradually stretched and in turn may cause tamponade. The fluid, often measuring a liter or more, causes the pericardium to sag, mimicking an old-fashioned water bottle sitting on the bench.

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