Grey Turner's sign indicates bruising of which area?

• A. Cullen's sign
• B. Murphy's sign
• C. McBurney's point
• D. Bruising of the flanks

Answer: (D)

Grey Turner's sign is the appearance of bruising on the flanks. This location indicates retroperitoneal bleeding, often from conditions like severe pancreatitis or other hemorrhages that track into the flank tissues. It helps distinguish the source from other signs that look similar but occur in different areas. For example, Cullen's sign is bruising around the belly button (periumbilical), which can also reflect intra-abdominal bleeding but in a different region. Murphy's sign is a test for gallbladder inflammation, causing pain with inhalation when you palpate the RUQ, not related to bruising. McBurney's point is a location of tenderness used to evaluate suspected appendicitis. So, bruising of the flanks specifically points to Grey Turner's sign.