Tampon in-situ

Case contributed by Amanda Er
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Feeling of pain when standing, ? sciatica

Patient Data

Age: 40 years
Gender: Female
x-ray

There is a cylindrical air-filled structure with the distal end near the pubic symphysis in this sacroiliac joint radiograph.

Annotated image

This image depicts the outline of a sanitary tampon.

Case Discussion

In this case, a tampon is present here as an incidental finding.

Tampons (sanitary wear for females) are made of a blend of cotton and rayon. These materials tend to trap air, hence allowing the visualization of their structures on a radiograph. However, once the tampon begins to absorb bodily fluids, it may not be visible on subsequent radiographs due to the lack of trapped air.

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