Presentation
Sudden onset of thoracic inlet pain and cough at dinner.
Patient Data
Age: 65 years
Gender: Female
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Frontal projection is unhelpful, although it does not demonstrate any soft tissue gas to suggest perforation. The lateral projection demonstrates an abnormal calcified focus behind the cricoid cartilage.
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A number of calcific opacities are visible on the lateral x-ray, but only one is of interest.
- swallowed wishbone: red arrow
- calcified carotid atherosclerosis: blue arrow
- inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage: pink arrow
- posterior arch of the cricoid cartilage: yellow arrow
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CT of the thoracic inlet confirms the presence of a Y-shaped calcified object in the esophagus. There is no evidence of perforation.
Case Discussion
Some people really don't chew their food do they...
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