Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Respiratory system, Plain radiographic studies, Other, Eating disorders
Authors:
J. L. Del Bianco, L. Burgess
DOI:
10.26044/ranzcr2023/C-239
Conclusion
Individuals with anorexia nervosa have an increased risk of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Anorexia nervosa should be considered, both with and without vomiting, as a potential cause of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. From a radiology perspective, it is important to identify the presence of pneumomediastinum, particularly in the setting of anorexia nervosa, as its presence could indicate a malnourished state at the time of imaging. This is significant as in comparison to non-anorexic counterparts, pneumomediastinum may take substantially longer (up to 2 months) to resolve[6,10].