Pneumopericardium in a Patient with Buccal Cancer and Cavitated Lung Metastasis

Pneumopericardium is a rare disorder having traumatic and non-traumatic causes. Penetrating or blunt chest trauma and iatrogenic complications associated with surgery endoscopic procedures or positive pressure ventilation are major causes. Spontaneous pneumopericardium caused by cancer invasion is very rare. We present a 46-year-old man with buccal cancer and cavitated lung metastasis, in which pneumopericardium was found by chest X-ray. A chest CT scan showed multiple cavitary lesions of both lungs with broncho-cavity and cavity-pericardium communication which may be one of possible mechanisms of spontaneous pneumopericardium in this case.