Gastrointestinal Imaging

Trauma, pharyngeal

Pharyngeal trauma may result from a foreign body, blunt or penetrating trauma, or be iatrogenic following endoscopic procedures. Clinical presentation usually is dysphagia and odynophagia. Plain lateral radiographs of the neck may show air in the soft tissues. Contrast leak may be revealed on swallow studies that should only be carried out with nonionic contrast medium. Cross-sectional imaging may be diagnostic (Fig.1).

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Fig.1

Forty-year-old woman who fell from a bicycle and hit her neck against a stone. Lateral pharyngogram (a) shows prevertebral air (arrow) and leakage of contrast material through a tear (arrow) in the posterior pharyngeal wall. Axial CT (b) reveals air (arrow) and contrast material (arrow) in prevertebral soft tissues.
Trauma, pharyngeal, Fig.1 (a)
Trauma, pharyngeal, Fig.1 (b)