Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon benign disorder that usually occurs in young men. Because of its clinical features and physiopathologic mechanism, other, more serious disorders that could require urgent treatment, such as Boerhaave's syndrome or spontaneous esophageal rupture, must be ruled out. We report the case of a 19-year-old man with no relevant history, who presented mediastinal emphysema after an episode of repeated vomiting in the context of alcohol abuse. Imaging techniques help to assess esophageal involvement.