Spontaneous pneumomediastinum

Abstract

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare and usually self-limited condition characterized by the presence of free air in the mediastinum without any apparent cause. We present a case of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in a 17-year-old patient who presented in the emergency department with a clinical picture of chest and neck pain, dysphagia, and dyspnea. Characteristic imaging findings of pneumomediastinum were documented on chest and neck radiographs and computed tomography. Radiologists must be acquainted with this usually benign entity of pneumomediastinum and should be familiarized with its imaging aspects.