serval:BIB_AD287F78442E
Screening of illegal intracorporeal containers ("body packing"): is abdominal radiography sufficiently accurate? A comparative study with low-dose CT.
10.1148/radiol.12112767
000311420300014
22952384
Poletti
P.A.
author
Canel
L.
author
Becker
C.D.
author
Wolff
H.
author
Elger
B.
author
Lock
E.
author
Sarasin
F.
author
Bonfanti
M.S.
author
Dupuis-Lozeron
E.
author
Perneger
T.
author
Platon
A.
author
article
2012
Radiology
1527-1315
0033-8419
journal
265
3
772-779
PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of abdominal radiography in the detection of illegal intracorporeal containers (hereafter, packets), with low-dose computed tomography (CT) as the reference standard.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the institutional ethical review board, with written informed consent. From July 2007 to July 2010, 330 people (296 men, 34 women; mean age, 32 years [range, 18-55 years]) suspected of having ingested drug packets underwent supine abdominal radiography and low-dose CT. The presence or absence of packets at abdominal radiography was reported, with low-dose CT as the reference standard. The density and number of packets (≤ 12 or >12) at low-dose CT were recorded and analyzed to determine whether those variables influence interpretation of results at abdominal radiography.
RESULTS: Packets were detected at low-dose CT in 53 (16%) suspects. Sensitivity of abdominal radiography for depiction of packets was 0.77 (41 of 53), and specificity was 0.96 (267 of 277). The packets appeared isoattenuated to the bowel contents at low-dose CT in 16 (30%) of the 53 suspects with positive results. Nineteen (36%) of the 53 suspects with positive low-dose CT results had fewer than 12 packets. Packets that were isoattenuated at low-dose CT and a low number of packets (≤12) were both significantly associated with false-negative results at abdominal radiography (P = .004 and P = .016, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Abdominal radiography is mainly limited by low sensitivity when compared with low-dose CT in the screening of people suspected of carrying drug packets. Low-dose CT is an effective imaging alternative to abdominal radiography.
Adolescent
Adult
Female
Foreign Bodies/radiography
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Radiography, Abdominal/methods
Sensitivity and Specificity
Street Drugs
Supine Position
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods
eng
60_published
true
peer-reviewed
Publication types: Comparative Study ; Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Publication Status: ppublish
University of Lausanne
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