Throckmorton sign n. the angle of the penis (in an x-ray film), jocularly said to point toward the side of the body with a medical anomaly. Editorial Note: See the 2000 citation for a more elaborate form of the joke which purports to explain how the Throckmorton sign is accurate. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
People who hunt treasure with metal detectors have a lingo all their own. Canslaw means the shreds of aluminum cans left after a lawnmower ran over them. And gold dance? That’s the happy jig you do if you find something far more valuable than...
Throckmorton sign may also be found on CT scans, for which the patient almost always lies on his back. It probably occurs because a person in pain naturally “splints,” i.e., contorts his back or abdomen to reduce tension in an area of pain.
I HAVE SEEN THE TRUE THROCKMORTON AND IT IS AN IMPRESSIVE OCCURANCE.
I ALSO CONSIDER THE ANGLE OF THE DANGLE, BUT USUALLY ONLY WHEN IT IS COLD. lOUISE tHIBODEAU XRAY TECHNOLOGIST
“The angle of the dangle”???!!!
Too funny. I’m a trauma nurse and recently convinced two trauma/surgery residents that Throckmorton sign was totally legit. Then every trauma for months had a “positive Throckmorton” which only proved to reinforce the notion, and I was unable to convince them that it was just for fun. Now we keep a running tally in our trauma bays. It sounds pretty ridiculous I know, but it’s something we all kinda get a sick kick out of and it helps keep the mood light when things get sticky.