ROLE OF HRCT THORAX IN TRACHEOBRONCHIAL FOREIGN BODY DETECTION

Abstract

Background: Aspirated foreign bodies in the airway continue to present challenges to the otorhinolaryngologist and interventional pulmonologists. To established the role of HRCT in diagnosis of foreign bodies in suspected cases.

Methods-30 patients with suspected FB inhalation on the basis of clinical history and symptoms like respiratory distress, stridor, and history of chocking were recruited for study in department of Otorhinolaryngology in Sardar Patel Medical College and Hospital, Bikaner Rajasthan.

Results: 29 patients (96.67%) with foreign bodies were identified on chest CT. For the patients with tracheobronchial foreign bodies, the occurrence of unilateral hyperlucent lung and post-obstructive lobar or segmental infiltrates on plain chest X-ray was 43.33%. 17 patients (56.67%) had no abnormalities on plain X-ray. The difference between multidetector CT and plain X-ray results was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Foreign bodies are missed byclinical and X-ray examination in many cases and that is only picked up by HRCT. Thus it is the ideal modality in diagnosis of foreign bodies to avoid the morbidity and mortality associated with missing foreign body.

Keywords: foreign bodies, high resolution computed tomography, X-ray