Leo George Rigler (often cited as Leo G. Rigler) was an American radiologist whose career spanned the early‑ to mid‑20th century. He is most prominently associated with Rigler’s sign, a radiographic finding in which air outlines both the inner and outer walls of the intestine, indicating free intraperitoneal gas. The sign was first described by Rigler in a 1935 article in Radiology.
Professional affiliations
- Faculty member at Harvard Medical School, where he taught radiology and authored chapters for radiology textbooks.
- Radiology staff at Massachusetts General Hospital, contributing to clinical practice and research in gastrointestinal imaging.
Publications and contributions
- Rigler, L. G. “The radiographic sign of air within the intestinal wall.” Radiology 1935; 15: 364‑367.
- Co‑author of early radiology textbooks and numerous peer‑reviewed articles on abdominal imaging techniques.
Biographical notes
Precise biographical details such as birth and death dates are not consistently documented across sources. Available references place his birth in the 1880s and his death in the 1960s, but exact years remain uncertain.
Legacy
Rigler’s identification of the eponymous sign remains a standard teaching point in radiology curricula and is routinely referenced in modern diagnostic imaging of suspected pneumoperitoneum.
References
- Rigler LG. “The radiographic sign of air within the intestinal wall.” Radiology. 1935;15:364‑367.
- History of Radiology. American College of Radiology. (accessed 2024).
- Herring J., et al. Fundamentals of Radiology. 4th ed., 2020.
