Metal detector and swallowed metal foreign bodies in children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a metal detector to diagnose swallowed radio-opaque metal foreign bodies (MFBs) in children, and whether they can detect non-radio-opaque MFBs.


METHODS
In a prospective study, 231 children, who presented to the accident and emergency department with a history of swallowing MFBs, were evaluated by the metal detector as well as radiography to confirm and locate the presence or absence of MFBs.


RESULTS
A definite history of swallowing a MFB by the child was given by 186 (81%) parents. The metal detector located MFBs in 183 children and radiographs confirmed radio-opaque MFBs in 181. In the remaining 45 (19%), when swallowing was suspected and not definite, both metal detector and radiography confirmed the presence of a MFB in only four.


CONCLUSIONS
A high detection rate of swallowed MFBs was observed in this study, using a metal detector. It is also of value to detect non-radio-opaque MFBs like aluminium. The detection of MFBs is high when the history of swallowing is definite.
Doraiswamy
N V
NV
Accident and Emergency Department, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow.
Baig
H
H
Hallam
L
L
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019719:Diagnostic Equipment; D004064:Digestive System; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D006113:United Kingdom
D008670:Metals