Imaging examination and diagnosis of airway foreign body in children / 实用医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the value of imaging examination and diagnosis of airway foreign body in children. Methods 218 of airway foreign bodies confirmed by bronchoscopy were retrospectively analyzed in terms of clinical and imaging data. Results 218 patients included 140 males and 78 females. Their ages ranged 6 months to 12 years(mean,19.2 months). All patients had conventional radiographs on frontal chest films,neck lateral films and fluoroscopy. 34 cases underwent 64-slice spiral chest CT examination. According to the location of the foreign bodies,29 cases were in throat and subglottic,55 cases in trachea and 134 cases in bronchus(79 cas-es in the right,55 cases in the left). According to the character of the foreign bodies,5 cases were metal,29 cas-es in bone,93 cases in peanuts,59 cases in seeds,22 cases in fruits and vegetables and 10 cases in others respec-tively. Thirty-fourcases showed a direct sign of the foreign body and 177 cases showed the indirect signs. 34 cases on CT examination directly were showed foreign body in the tracheal bronchi. The diagnostic accuracy of CT exami-nation was 100%. Conclusions X-ray photograph and fluoroscopy were the first choice for aspiratory foreign bod-ies in children. CT examination is an important supplementary method when conventional X-ray examination is neg-ative.