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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Handheld Metal Detector Screening for Metallic Foreign Body Ingestion in Children
Published on: September 11, 2018
Hyper-dense foreign bodies found in the bowel during IGRT following brachytherapy
Irena Dragojević1, Kelly Kisling1, Daniel Scanderbeg1
1Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, Chula Vista, CA 91914, USA.
Abstract:
A 28-year-old female with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the cervix was undergoing treatment with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), concurrent chemotherapy and high dose rate brachytherapy (BT). On-board imaging obtained prior to one of her external beam treatments revealed four radiopaque foreign bodies in her abdomen. The patient's treatment was delayed for further work-up of this new finding. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the patient had recently started taking bismuth subsalicylate tablets (brand name: Pepto-Bismol, Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH). A computed tomography (CT) scan of the tablets confirmed the size and Hounsfield Unit (HU) values coincided with the foreign object properties seen on the patient's scan. This unexpected finding is important to recognize as it consequently lead to a delay in treatment, additional imaging, and patient anxiety.
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