Abstract
Purpose: Foreign body aspiration(FBA) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood. Unfortunately, the clinical picture is often unclear and the clinician must decide which patients should undergo bronchoscopic evaluation. The aim of this study was to analyse patients who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected foreign body aspiration and to evaluate the properties of computed tomography(CT) in preventing unnecessary bronchoscopy, which carries the risk of serious complications.
Methods:All patients younger than 18 years of age who were evaluated for foreign body aspiration at a tertiary children's hospital between June 2014 and February 2023 were included in the retrospective review.
Results:A total of 165 children who underwent bronchoscopy were included in this study. 59.4% (n=98) of the cases were girls and 40.6% (n=67) were boys. The median age of the cases was 2 years, ranging from 0.5 to 18 years, and the interquartile range (Q3-Q1) value was 2. X-ray was performed in 100% of the cases (n=165) and CT scan was performed in 26.1% (n=43). In Group II (CT ± Bronchoscopy), the detection rate of FBA was 93%, whereas in Group I (only Bronchoscopy), it was significantly higher at 77.9% compared to 77.9%. Additionally, the negative diagnosis rate in Group II was significantly higher compared to Group I
Conclusions: Low-dose chest CT is a highly effective imaging modality with high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of FBA in children. Since it can be performed rapidly with minimal radiation exposure and can prevent unnecessary bronchoscopies in suspicious cases.