Radiopaedia Blog: Chest

  • Spinnaker sign - a neonatal chest radiograph sign of pneumomediastinum. It refers to the thymus being outlined by air with each lobe displaced laterally like spinnaker sails. This appearance may also be termed the thymic wing sign. Bonus radiology signs also demonstrated in this case include left-sided deep sulcus sign of pneumothorax and continuous diaphragm sign of pneumomediastinum. 

27th Sep 2013 21:48 UTC

CAVITY - mnemonic

CAVITY - a useful mnemonic for the causes of a cavitating lung mass.

C = cancer 
A = autoimmune granulomas
V = vascular 
I = infection
T = trauma
Y = youth 

Case 1 is an example of a cavitating primary lung cancer. Case 2 shows a thick walled cavity in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. Case 3 is an example of tuberculosis. Case 4 is of congenital pulmonary airways malformation (CPAM) in a neonate. 

21st Sep 2013 05:22 UTC

Crazy paving

  • Crazy paving - a CT chest appearance where the combination of septal thickening and alveolar ground-glass opacity creates a pattern that mimics paving. The sign is classically described in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis but can be caused by many other lung pathologies. 

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