ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Esophageal perforation is a life-threatening condition that can lead to severe complications like fulminant mediastinitis. Prompt diagno-sis and early surgical intervention are required because of its high morta-lity rates. We present the imaging findings of esophageal perforation and define the diagnostic value of CT.

Materials and Methods:

CT findings of three cases of esophageal per-foration with different etiologies were defined. The causes of the perfora-tions were idiopathic in one patient due to severe vomiting, iatrogenic in one patient secondary to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograp-hy, and traumatic in the other from chicken bone ingestion

Results:

CT abnormalities included esophageal thickening, periesophage-al fluid, mediastinintis, pneumomediastinum, pleural effusion, pneumot-horax and a foreign body.

Conclusion:

Recognition of the CT findings of esophageal perforation is important in the early diagnosis of a condition that can be fatal if left untreated. In patients with acute chest pain, CT reveals the decisive diag-nostic criteria for esophageal perforation, with its mediastinal and pulmo-nary complications.