Pneumomediastinum (summary)

This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists

Pneumomediastinum describes air/gas within the mediastinum and is readily demonstrated on CT and may be seen on a chest radiograph.

Reference article

This is a summary article; read more in our article on pneumomediastinum.

Summary

pathophysiology
- gas within the mediastinum
- causes
  - tracheobronchial perforation with gas tracking
  - perforation of esophagus
  - penetrating trauma

Radiographic features

Chest radiograph

gas outlines the mediastinal structures
may be difficult to see on a chest x-ray

CT chest

much more readily demonstrated on a CT

Medical student radiology curriculum

radiology for students
neuroradiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- presentations
cardiac radiology
chest radiology
- imaging
  - chest x-ray
    - chest x-ray - an approach
  - CT chest
- key findings
- conditions
  - pneumonia
  - lobar collapse
  - pulmonary edema
  - heart failure
  - symptomatic pneumothorax
  - tension pneumothorax
  - pleural effusion
  - COPD
  - asthma
  - pulmonary embolism
  - lung cancer
  - mesothelioma
  - bronchiectasis (and CF)
  - tuberculosis
- presentations
  - breathlessness
  - cough
  - hemoptysis
  - wheeze
  - pleuritic chest pain
abdominal radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
  - upper GI
  - lower GI
  - hepatopancreatobiliary
  - genitourinary
    - renal tract calculi
    - prostate cancer
  - vascular
    - aortic aneurysm
    - peripheral arterial disease
  - breast
    - breast cancer
- presentations
musculoskeletal radiology
- imaging
  - tests and when to use them
    - upper limb
    - lower limb
- key findings
  - fracture description
- interpretation
  - approach to trauma films
- conditions
  - upper limb
  - lower limb
    - pelvic fractures
    - proximal femoral fractures
    - distal fibula fracture
    - 5th metatarsal fracture
  - pediatrics
  - spine
  - major trauma
  - joint pain/arthritis
- presentations
  - upper limb
    - shoulder injury
    - fall onto an outstretched hand
  - lower limb
    - hip trauma
    - lower limb injury
    - foot and ankle injury
  - joint pain/arthritis
obstetrics and gynecology imaging
- imaging
  - pelvic US - transabdominal
  - pelvic US - transvaginal
  - hysterosalpingogram
  - CT abdomen
  - MRI pelvis
- key findings
  - endometrial thickening
  - ovarian cysts
- conditions
  - non-obstetric
    - pelvic inflammatory disease
    - tubo-ovarian abscess
    - ovarian torsion
    - ovarian neoplasms
    - endometriosis
    - endometrial hyperplasia
    - endometrial carcinoma
    - cervical cancer
  - obstetric
    - normal pregnancy
    - abnormal first trimester
    - ectopic pregnancy
    - heterotopic pregnancy
    - twins
- presentations
  - PV bleeding
  - pelvic pain
  - PV discharge
  - early pregnancy
pediatric radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- presentations