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Terry-Thomas sign

Terry-Thomas sign is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Terry-Thomas sign rather than just read about it. In short: The Terry-Thomas sign is a scapholunate ligament dissociation on an anteroposterior radiological view of the wrist. Most commonly a result of a fall on the outstretched hand (FOOSH), the scapholunate ligament ruptures resulting in separation of the lunate and scaphoid bones.

Terry-Thomas sign — main illustration
Terry-Thomas sign — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Terry-Thomas sign belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Terry-Thomas sign to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Terry-Thomas sign from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Terry-Thomas sign is a scapholunate ligament dissociation on an anteroposterior radiological view of the wrist. Most commonly a result of a fall on the outstretched hand (FOOSH), the scapholunate ligament ruptures resulting in separation of the lunate and scaphoid bones. This burst causes the scaphoid bone to dorsally rotate. A gap of more than 3mm is pathognomonic for scapholunate dissociation. The resulting separation between the scaphoid and lunate bones leaves a space on the x-ray that is similar to the gap comedian Terry-Thomas had between his front teeth. For newer radiology students who do not know who Terry-Thomas was, this finding might also be known as the David Letterman sign.

References

External links Entry on Radiopaedia Case study and history from PubMed

Illustrations

Terry-Thomas sign illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Terry-Thomas sign

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Terry-Thomas sign claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Terry-Thomas sign before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Terry-Thomas sign ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Terry-Thomas sign

In research
Terry-Thomas sign appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Terry-Thomas sign in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Terry-Thomas sign is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Medical sign stubs, Radiologic signs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Terry-Thomas sign outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Terry-Thomas sign in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Terry-Thomas sign means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Terry-Thomas sign out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Terry-Thomas sign in simple terms?

The Terry-Thomas sign is a scapholunate ligament dissociation on an anteroposterior radiological view of the wrist. Most commonly a result of a fall on the outstretched hand (FOOSH), the scapholunate ligament ruptures resulting in separation of the lunate and scaphoid bones.

Why does Terry-Thomas sign matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Terry-Thomas sign?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Terry-Thomas sign.

Tags

  • Medical sign stubs
  • Radiologic signs

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