title: False-negative abdominal CT scan in a cocaine body stuffer.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) imaging has been touted as one of the best techniques to detect body packets in body packers and stuffers. The majority of experience has been with body packers. We describe a case of a body stuffer who presented with abdominal pain after ingesting a large packet containing multiple small packets, with a falsely negative abdominal CT scan without contrast. This case raises questions regarding the best method of detection of body packets in body stuffers.
authors.affiliation: Toxikon Consortium, Cook County Hospital, The University of Illinois, Rush Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center, Chicago 60616, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eng
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Aks
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waldron
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Issleib
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013270:Stomach; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*; D014567:Urography
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine