Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration in infants & children: Diagnostic utility of multidetector CT with emphasis on virtual bronchoscopy

AimTo evaluate the efficacy of multidetector CT (MDCT) and its post-processing techniques including virtual bronchoscopy in evaluation of tracheobronchial foreign body inhalation in infants and children.Patients and methodsDuring the period from March 2011 to October 2013, 21 consecutive patients (8 females, 13 males, age range from 18 month to 7 years) were referred to the radiology department for CT evaluation for suspected FB inhalation. CT was done on a 16-slice scanner. No IV contrast was used. MDCT findings were compared with the results of rigid bronchoscopy.ResultsMDCT detected FB in 17 patients, two cases had true −ve results, one case had false +ve and one case had false −ve results compared with conventional bronchoscopy. MDCT revealed hyper-aeration of the ipsilateral lung in 42.9 % patients, atelectasis in 57.1%, pneumonic consolidation in 71.4%. According to bronchoscopy, foreign body was identified and extracted in 18 patients. The right main bronchus, left main bronchus and trachea were the commonest sites.ConclusionMultidetector CT with the aid of virtual bronchoscopy is a reliable noninvasive method that allows detection and localization of tracheobronchial FB.