Richard Orgill ‘06

Radiographic Evaluation of Aspirated Metallic Foil Foreign Bodies

Richard D. Orgill, MD; Thomas R. Pasic, MD; Walter W. Peppler, PhD;
Mark D. Hoffman, MD

Abstract

Objectives: Aspirated objects generally represent items accessible to children. When metallic candy wrapper aspiration
is questioned, radiographic studies may aid diagnosis. An infant with repeated chest radiographs negative for a metallic
foreign body was found to have a multi-layer metallic candy wrapper in the left main bronchus. The purpose of this study
was to determine whether conventional and dual-energy radiographic techniques exclude the presence of aspirated
metallic foil wrappers.

Methods: Single-layer and multi-layer metallic candy wrappers were radiographically studied with conventional and
dual-energy radiographic techniques in 3 tissue models.

Results: No single-layer metallic samples were detectable with conventional or dual-energy radiography. The multilayer
samples were not detectable at less than 8 layers (pulmonary tissue model) or 16 layers (mediastinal model) by
either conventional or dual-energy radiography.

Conclusion: Conventional and dual-energy chest radiographic techniques do not reliably exclude the presence of
aspirated metallic foil wrappers.

Key Words: aluminum, bronchoscopy, bronchus, candy wrapper, differential diagnosis, foreign body, nonradiopaque
material, thoracic radiography, trachea, tracheobronchial tree

Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2005; 114(6):419-424.

Administration - Maps - Affiliated Hospitals - Med Student Information - UW Home

Otolaryngology Surgery University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery
First published: 07/15/02 Last updated: 11/24/09 webmaster@surgery.wisc.edu
Copyright © 2005 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System