Image Question-57
What is the Sign seen in the image marked by arrow?
[A] Comet tail sign
[B] Rat tail sign
[C] Bird’s beak sign
[D] Fox Tail Sign
Fox Tail Sign
Fox Tail Sign, seen on an echocardiogram, indicates the presence of a left pleural effusion
The “tail” in this sign refers to an atelectatic lung lobe floating within the pleural effusion. Atelectasis [collapsed or airless state of a lung or a part of a lung]. Essentially, the collapsed lung tissue within the fluid-filled space can appear somewhat like a fox’s tail on the ultrasound image
Rat tail sign
“Rat tail sign” in medicine, also known as the “bird beak sign,” refers to the characteristic appearance of the inferior esophagus on a barium swallow study
rat tail sign is most typically associated with achalasia, a condition where the lower esophageal sphincter fails to relax properly
Esophageal carcinoma: In this case, the sign may sometimes be referred to as a “Pseudo-rat-tail sign”. It’s crucial to differentiate between these conditions, as the presence of mucosal irregularity or involvement of more than just the terminal part of the esophagus in a “rat tail” presentation could point towards esophageal cancer.
