John Thomas Sign on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The John Thomas sign, also known as the Throckmorton sign, is a slang or joke term used in the field of
The John Thomas sign, also known as the Throckmorton sign, is a slang or joke term used in the field of radiology
Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiat ...
. It refers to the position of a penis
A penis (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'' () is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females (or hermaphrodites) during copulation. Such organs occur in many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, but males do n ...
as it relates to pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
on an X-ray of a pelvis
The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton).
The ...
. When the penis (visible on the X-ray as a shadow) points towards the same side as a unilateral medical condition such as a broken bone, this is considered a "positive John Thomas sign," and if the shadow points to the other side, it is a "negative John Thomas sign."
Studies have shown that the "sign" is no better than chance at identifying the location of a hip fracture. In those cases where the John Thomas sign is positive, it has been proposed that a person with a displaced hip fracture may try to lie on the injured side to immobilize the fracture and reduce pain; the penis then inclines toward the downward (injured) side.
Andy Murray
Sir Andrew Barron Murray (born 15 May 1987) is a British professional tennis player from Scotland. He was ranked world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 41 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 in 2016. Murray h ...
, British professional tennis player, released a picture of his pelvic X-ray following his hip resurfacing surgery on January 29, 2019 clearly demonstrating an example of a negative John Thomas or Throckmorton sign where his penis pointed away from the site of injury. The release of the X-ray image with visible genitalia was discussed by Piers Morgan on '' Good Morning Britain'', prompting Murray, who was watching at the time, to message the show, stating, "Please can you stop discussing my genitals on national TV, I was heavily medicated at the time of posting."
References
{{Eponymous medical signs for reproductive system Penis Radiology Professional humor Medical slang