Presentation
Patient was unable to speak and had a sore throat. Was swallowing a pill and felt that it was stuck in his throat.
Patient Data
Extensive pre vertebral soft tissue gas with extension into bony spinal canal. No radiopaque foreign body was detected.
There is pneumomediastinum extending along bilateral supraclavicular region in the lower neck.
Case Discussion
In lateral neck radiographs, soft tissue exposure factors 1 (low kVp, high mAs) should be used in order to better demonstrate the soft tissue.
Upon further investigation, this case was given the diagnosis of Boerhaave's syndrome - the spontaneous rupture of the esophagus following excessive straining 2.