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The usefulness of computed tomography in the diagnosis of impacted fish bones in the oesophagus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Ken-ichi Watanabe*
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Toshihiko Kikuchi
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Yukio Katori
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Yamagata City Hospital, Yamagata City Hospital, Yamagata 990-0042, Japan.
Hiroko Fujiwara
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Yamagata City Hospital, Yamagata City Hospital, Yamagata 990-0042, Japan.
Reiji Sugita
Affiliation:
Yamagata and the Department of Radiology, Yamagata City Hospital, Yamagata 990-0042, Japan.
Tomonori Takasaka
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
Sho Hashimoto
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.
*
Address for correspondence: Ken-ichi Watanabe, M.D., Department of Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan.

Abstract

The usefulness of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of fish bone impaction in the oesophagus was evaluated. Thirty-two patients were examined by plain X-ray followed by direct oesophagoscopy for suspected fish bone impaction. Among 25 cases in which fish bones were actually removed, foreign bodies were not clearly demonstrated by plain X-ray in 14 cases (56 per cent). Eleven cases underwent CT prior to the oesophagoscopic examination. Fish bones were clearly demonstrated by CT in all patients. CT also clearly visualized secondarily-induced inflammatory changes in the neighbouring structures. In order to confirm this result, we made a simulation model of oesophageal fish bone impaction, using fish bones of three different species surrounded by a water bag. In comparison with plain X-ray, CT depicted a superior image of fine fish bones and provides extremely useful information for the management of impacted fish bones in the oesophagus.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1998

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