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Which types of foreign bodies are encountered on abdominal radiographs?
- A wide range of foreign bodies are radiopaque and therefore visible at abdominal radiography.
- They can be categorized as intraluminal or extraluminal for logistical purposes.
Common Causes of Radiopaque Foreign Bodies
| Intraluminal | Extraluminal |
|---|---|
| Bezoars | Surgical clips (either in expected or migrated position) |
| Markers for measurement of colonic transit (Sitz-marks) | Migrated intrauterine devices |
| Packages of illegal narcotics (“body packing”) | Retained surgical materials (e.g., inadvertent clamp or surgical sponge; latter typically occurs in setting of incorrect sponge count) |
| Dislodged tubes from prior procedures (e.g., feeding tubes and biliary stents) | Intentionally placed surgical materials (e.g., surgical sponge used to control bleeding in traumatic liver laceration—clinical history helps to distinguish from the inadvertent variety) |
| Ingested or inserted items (coins, batteries, and endoscopic capsules used for work-up of small bowel disease) |
