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Spontaenous pneumomediastinum

Case contributed by Ian Bickle
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Left sided chest pain, SOB, unwell. Pneumothroax?

Patient Data

Age: 25 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Surgical emphysema in the soft tissues of the neck and the mediastinum.

Pneumomediastinum. No pneumothorax.

Heart size normal. Lungs clear.

Large volume surgical emphysema in the neck.

Moderate volume pneumomediastinum. No pneumothorax. No effusion.

Case Discussion

Classic plain radiograph and CT appearances of a pneumomediastinum, in this case spontaneous in origin.

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