Steeple sign

In radiology, the steeple sign is a radiologic sign found on a frontal neck radiograph where subglottic tracheal narrowing produces the shape of a church steeple within the trachea itself.[1][2] The presence of the steeple sign supports a diagnosis of croup, usually caused by paramyxoviruses.[3] it can also be defined as the replacement of the usual squared-shoulder appearance of the subglottic area by cone shaped narrowing just distal to the vocal cords. This is called the steeple or pencil-point sign.

Steeple sign
The steeple sign as seen on an anteroposterior neck X-ray of a child with croup
Differential diagnosisCroup

References
  1. Braen, G. Richard (29 March 2012). Manual of Emergency Medicine. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 203. ISBN 9781451153910. Radiologic confirmation of proximal narrowing of the subglottic space can be • obtained by an AP radiograph of the neck; typically, a “steeple sign” is noted referring to the similar appearance of a church steeple.
  2. Burket, Lester William (2008). Burket's Oral Medicine. PMPH-USA. p. 304. ISBN 9781550093452. This type of narrowing is typically present in croup and is known as the steeple sign on the anteroposterior radiograph given its similarity to a church steeple.
  3. Salour M (2000). "The steeple sign". Radiology. 216 (2): 428–9. doi:10.1148/radiology.216.2.r00au18428. PMID 10924564.


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