Foreign body in right bronchus
Presentation
Blowing plastic whistle and inhaled. Minor cough and whistling noise coming from the chest.
Patient Data
Age: 13 years
Gender: Male
From the case:
Foreign body in right bronchus
X-ray
Frontal
No foreign body, no lung collapse. The right lung may be a little more lucent suggesting minimal air trapping.
From the case:
Foreign body in right bronchus
CT
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Coronal non-contrast
The foreign body is seen in the bronchus intermedius.
Case Discussion
Plain films are not always reliable with foreign bodies - CT is often required. Note minimal lung complications i.e. collapse, highlighting the limitation of a chest radiograph in giving a definitive answer. The key lesson is to believe the patient's story and continue to investigate.