Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography for Detection and Management of Ingested Foreign Bodies

Plain radiography of the neck traditionally has been used as the initial diagnostic modality, but it visualizes foreign bodies such as fish bones in soft tissue poorly and therefore is notoriously unreliable.4-7 Its average calculated sensitivity and specificity values in various studies were found to be 36.37% and 90.69%, respectively, and visibility was reported to vary with fish species, location, and orientation.45 Other modalities have been proposed, from immediate endoscopy in the setting of a negative plain film to initial CT scanning.8,9 CT, in contrast to plain radiography, has a reported calculated sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 90.48%, respectively,5 and is now considered the imaging method of choice for diagnosis of fish bone impactions.