title: Three-dimensional CT with virtual bronchoscopy: a useful modality for bronchial foreign bodies in pediatric patients.
abstract: Bronchial foreign bodies (FB) in children are difficult to diagnose when there is no witness to the aspiration event. The experience with three-dimensional CT and virtual bronchoscopic reconstruction (3D-CTVB) was reviewed for the diagnosis of bronchial FB in pediatric patients in this study. A retrospective review of ten pediatric patients (M:F = 5:5) who underwent rigid bronchoscopy by one otolaryngologist for the impression of a bronchial FB, at a tertiary training hospital, from February 2006 to September 2010 is reported. All patients had a plain chest X-ray and 3D-CTVB. The physical, radiological and bronchoscopic findings of the patients were analyzed. The mean duration from the aspiration event to hospital evaluation was 7 days (0-21 days). Four patients (44%) had witnesses to the aspiration event. Hyperaeration of the affected lung was noted in nine patients (90%) on the plain chest X-ray. In all of the patients, the foreign body location, suspected on the preoperative 3D-CTVB, was consistent with the intra-operative bronchoscopic findings. All FBs were successfully removed by rigid bronchoscopy without any complications. In conclusion, the 3D-CTVB was a very safe and useful diagnostic modality for bronchial FBs. The findings of this study suggest that the 3D-CTVB should be considered for the diagnosis of all patients with suspected bronchial FBs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, 911-1 Mok-Dong, Yang Cheon-Gu, Seoul 158-710, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Pae
authors.forename: Sung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Han Su
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi; D001995:Bronchography; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed