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Updated: May 27, 2026

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
Published on: September 11, 2018
Problem of foreign body in GI tract
Yahya Daneshbod1, Abdolrasoul Talei, Shahrzad Negahban
1Department of Surgical Pathology, Dr Daneshled, Pathology Laboratory, Shiraz 71437, Iran. y@daneshbod.com
Most ingested foreign bodies pass harmlessly. However, one case highlights how a foreign body mimicked gastrointestinal cancer, leading to unnecessary surgery. This underscores the need for careful diagnosis in clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
- Diagnostic Endoscopy
Background:
- Most ingested foreign bodies traverse the gastrointestinal tract without complications.
- Accurate differentiation between foreign bodies and gastrointestinal neoplasms is crucial for appropriate patient management.
Observation:
- A case is presented where an inadvertently ingested foreign body was mistaken for a gastrointestinal polyp during endoscopy.
- Biopsy results initially suggested malignancy, leading to a misdiagnosis of cancer.
Findings:
- The foreign body's endoscopic appearance closely resembled a neoplastic lesion.
- Histopathological examination, initially misinterpreting the foreign body as cancerous, necessitated further review.
Implications:
- This case highlights the critical importance of considering foreign bodies that mimic gastrointestinal neoplasms in endoscopic and pathological evaluations.
- Endoscopists, surgeons, and pathologists must maintain a high index of suspicion for such entities to prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions.
- Enhanced vigilance can improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes, avoiding potentially harmful procedures.
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