Air! Places We Not Ought to See It

Abstract

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare condition, characterized by the presence of air in the mediastinum without any apparent precipitating cause. It is mainly a radiological diagnosis. The onus of differentiating between secondary and spontaneous pneumomediastinum lies on a thorough workup. In addition to etiology, complications such as tension pneumomediastinum, cervical emphysema, and pneumorachis. When present, must be diagnosed promptly. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a benign condition which is usually managed conservatively. Although not routinely seen on positron emission tomography/computed tomography, when present, they must be picked up and reported accurately to guide appropriate management of the patient.