Foreign body presenting as a persistent lung infiltrate

Abstract

Complete clinical history and a high index of suspicion is the mainstay for the diagnosis and management of foreign body aspiration. Radiographic imaging can often detect the presence of a foreign body even when there is no clinical suspicion. In the case presented here, computerized chest tomogram (CT) played an important role in the detection of an intra bronchial radioopaque foreign body which was not visible on plain chest roentgenogram (CXR). CT was also useful in demonstrating patency of the airway after bronchoscopic removal of the foreign body.