A 4-year-old child presents with stridor, drooling, and muffled voice, sitting leaning forward. Lateral neck radiograph demonstrates an enlarged, rounded epiglottis projecting into the hypopharynx. This appearance is known by which eponymous sign?

• A Steeple sign
• B Sail sign
• C Halo sign
• D Thumb sign ✓

Explanation

An inflamed, swollen epiglottis appears as a rounded soft tissue density resembling an enlarged thumb on the lateral airway radiograph, the classic thumb sign of acute epiglottitis. The steeple sign refers to subglottic narrowing seen in viral croup on frontal films, so it is the tempting distractor to exclude. The sail sign is thymic in infants and the halo sign describes pulmonary aspergillosis.

Reference: Brant and Helms Fundamentals of Diagnostic Radiology, 5th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.