In
radiology
Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...
, the Golden S sign, also known as the S sign of Golden, is a
radiologic sign seen on
chest X-ray
A chest radiograph, chest X-ray (CXR), or chest film is a Projectional radiography, projection radiograph of the chest used to diagnose conditions affecting the chest, its contents, and nearby structures. Chest radiographs are the most common fi ...
that suggests a central
lung
The lungs are the primary Organ (biology), organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the Vertebral column, backbone on either side of the heart. Their ...
mass or a
lung collapse.
It was first described by, and subsequently named after, Dr Ross Golden (1889–1975) in 1925 in association with
bronchial carcinoma,
but it is also seen in
metastatic cancer,
enlarged lymph nodes, and collapse of the right upper lobe of the lung.
Appearance
The Golden S sign can be seen on
plain radiographs as well as on
computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest.
The sign is seen in the right lung as a distorted
minor fissure, whose lateral aspect is concave inferiorly and whose medial aspect is convex inferiorly.
This produces a "reverse S" appearance, responsible for the sign being occasionally called the reverse S sign of Golden.
References
{{Radiologic signs
Radiologic signs