Utility of lung radiodensity ratios in diagnosis of radiolucent foreign body aspiration in children: a practical approach

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the utility of radiodensity ratio between lungs on chest X-ray for the diagnosis of radiolucent foreign body aspiration (FBA) in children.

Methods: X-rays of 33 patients with confirmed diagnosis of FBA by bronchoscopy were compared to 66 control patients. We divided the study group into three subgroups: symmetric (13-patients), right-oblique (RO;12-patients) and left-oblique (LO;8-patients).

Results: When we compared FBA-symmetric-subgroup to symmetric-control-group, FBA-RO-subgroup to RO-control-group and FBA-LO-subgroup to LO-control-group, radiodensity ratios were significantly higher in the FBA subgroups.

Conclusion: The calculated radiodensity ratio between lungs on X-ray would be a useful and practical tool for the diagnosis of radiolucent FBA in children.

Keywords: Air-trapping; Chest X-ray; Foreign body aspiration; Radiodensity.