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Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
04:55

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children

Published on: September 11, 2018

Handheld metal detector confirmation of radiopaque foreign bodies in the esophagus

R M Younger1, D H Darrow

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 825 Fairfax Ave, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.

Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery
|December 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Handheld metal detectors accurately confirmed the esophageal position of radiopaque foreign bodies, specifically coins, in children. This tool may reduce the need for repeat X-rays before endoscopic removal.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Esophageal foreign bodies are common in children.
  • Radiopaque foreign bodies require precise localization for safe endoscopic removal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of handheld metal detectors in locating radiopaque esophageal foreign bodies.
  • To determine if metal detectors can replace or reduce the need for repeat radiographic imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study conducted at a tertiary pediatric referral center.
  • Included 26 children with esophageal foreign bodies requiring delayed endoscopic removal (minimum 6-hour delay).
  • Patients underwent both standard radiography and handheld metal detector scanning before and after initial evaluation.

Main Results:

  • All 26 eligible children had coins lodged in the esophagus.
  • Handheld metal detector scanning accurately confirmed the coin's position in all cases prior to endoscopic removal.
  • No false positives or negatives were reported for the metal detector.

Conclusions:

  • Handheld metal detectors are a reliable tool for confirming the position of esophageal coins.
  • This technology may eliminate the need for additional radiographic studies in select pediatric patients.
  • Metal detectors offer a potentially faster and safer method for localization before endoscopic intervention.
Abstract

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