Tram track (medicine)

Tram tracks or tram-track signs are medical signs that bear some resemblance to tramway tracks.

Pulmonology

When found in the lungs, tram tracks are radiologic signs that are usually accompanied by pulmonary edema in cases of congestive heart failure and bronchiectasis. Tram tracks are caused by bronchial wall thickening, and can be detected on a lateral chest X-ray.[1]

Nephrology

The term "tram tracks" is also used to describe the basement membrane duplication found on light microscopy that is characteristic of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) type I. (It is less commonly associated with types II and III.)[2]

Neurology

The term has also been used to describe findings associated with optic nerve sheath meningioma.[3]

Tram track-shaped calcifications in the cerebral cortex indicate Sturge–Weber syndrome. where intracranial gyriform calcification (brain imaging) seen mostly in occipital and posterior parietal/temporal lobe ;this syndrome consists triad of port wine stain,seizure(usually focal but may become generalized),eye manifestation(e.g. glaucoma).

Mammary glands

Tram track appearance in mammography/USG indicates Duct Ectasia.

References
  1. Gunderman RB. Essential radiology. 2nd ed. Thieme: New York.
  2. Kaplan, Bernard S.; Meyers, Kevin E. C. (2004). Pediatric nephrology and urology: the requisites in pediatrics. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 151–. ISBN 978-0-323-01841-8. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  3. Ramina, Ricardo; Aguiar, Paulo Henrique Pires; Tatagiba, Marcos (2007-11-29). Samii's Essentials in Neurosurgery. Springer. pp. 85–. ISBN 978-3-540-49249-8. Retrieved 30 July 2011.


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