title: Detection of gastric drug packet by ultrasound scanning.
abstract: A 53-year-old male drug user was brought to the emergency department by police for suspected drug smuggling by body packing. The abdominal X-ray revealed suspicion of the presence of a drug packet in the gastric antrum, but the patient strongly denied body packing. Abdominal ultrasonography confirmed the presence of a 4.0 x 2.8 cm(2) oval-shaped echogenic mass with posterior shadowing in the gastric antrum. A small plastic bag with many blue tablets was later retrieved by endoscopy. Ultrasonography is recommended in similar cases with doubtful radiological findings.
authors.affiliation: Accident & Emergency Department, North District Hospital, Hong Kong, China. chunch@ha.org.hk
authors.forename: Chin Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Wing Tak
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Fung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs