Utilization of the Electrocardiographic “Spiked Helmet” Sign in the Diagnosis of Intra-Abdominal Pathology Within the Emergency Setting

The differential diagnosis of electrocardiographic (ECG) ST-segment elevation includes a multitude of cardiopulmonary pathologies, including myocardial infarction, pericarditis, myocarditis, pulmonary embolism, takotsubo syndrome, ventricular aneurysm, and Brugada syndrome, among others (1). However, under the appropriate clinical presentation, this ECG finding expands to include extrathoracic pathology as part of the differential. A lesser-known manifestation of ST-segment elevation referred to as the “spiked helmet” sign (SHS) may represent a key diagnostic clue to the emergency provider of a critically evolving intra-abdominal pathology.
Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Visual Diagnosis in Emergency Medicine Source Type: research