Steeple sign
Encyclopedia
In radiology
, the steeple sign is a sign on a frontal radiograph of tracheal
narrowing and suggestive of the diagnosis
of croup
.
In the figure you can see anteroposterior radiograph of the upper airway of a patient with croup. The subglottic tracheal narrowing produces an inverted V appearance known as the steeple sign (arrow).
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, the steeple sign is a sign on a frontal radiograph of tracheal
Vertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
narrowing and suggestive of the diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
of croup
Croup
Croup is a respiratory condition that is usually triggered by an acute viral infection of the upper airway. The infection leads to swelling inside the throat, which interferes with normal breathing and produces the classical symptoms of a "barking" cough, stridor, and hoarseness...
.
In the figure you can see anteroposterior radiograph of the upper airway of a patient with croup. The subglottic tracheal narrowing produces an inverted V appearance known as the steeple sign (arrow).