IMPORTANT: We currently have a number of bugs related to image cropping and are actively trying to resolve them. In the meantime, we have disabled cropping. Apologies for any inconvenience. Stay informed: radiopaedia.org/chat

Hiatus hernia

Case contributed by Gaspar Alberto

Presentation

Screening

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male

Note: This case has been tagged as "legacy" as it no longer meets image preparation and/or other case publication guidelines.

ct

On scout, a round opacity is seen behind the heart with an absent gastric air bubble at the upper abdomen.  

On axial CT cuts, the stomach is seen herniating through a widened esophageal hiatus into the posterior mediastinum.

Case Discussion

Hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach protrudes into the thoracic cavity. It appears on plain chest radiographs as a retrocardiac gas-filled structure. An upper GI barium series is the preferred examination. CT scans are useful in the accurate anatomic depiction of a totally intrathoracic stomach, especially in patients with suspected gastric volvulus.

How to use cases

You can use Radiopaedia cases in a variety of ways to help you learn and teach.

Creating your own cases is easy.

Updating… Please wait.

 Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

 Thank you for updating your details.