Objectives: Foreign body (FB) aspiration is still one of the most common emergencies in daily practice with great dependency of diagnosis on the history and radiological exam. Our work is to analyze the role of chest x-ray exam (CXR) in the management of FB aspiration trying to reach the most common radiological findings and how can such findings be affected by type and site of impaction of FB.
Methods: A retrospective study (descriptive study) of FB aspiration at Hilla General Teaching Hospital. CXR findings were analyzed in 53 positive cases, identifying the common patterns of such exam, then we tried to identify any possible effect of the type of FB and their site of impactions upon such CXR findings.
Results: Organic FB most commonly impacted at right bronchi and presented with complications specially emphysema, while inorganic metallic foreign bodies most commonly impacted at left bronchi, being radiopaque with no obvious radiological complications.
Conclusions: CXR findings will be affected by the type and site of impaction of FB.