epicardial fat sign

• two lucent lines on lateral CXR anterior to heart
  • subepicardial fat around LAD
  • anterior mediastinal fat

• lines seen in 40% of all lateral CXRs

• if separation > 2 mm ==> consider pericardial effusion or thickening

© 2002, C.E. Kahn, Jr.
2002-04-18