Open AccessUnexpected finding of ingested magnetic toys in a child undergoing cerebral MRI
Author(s) -
Trine Kirkegaard Holtz,
Pernille Wied Greisen,
Niels Qvist,
Niels Bjørn
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of pediatric surgery case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2213-5766
DOI - 10.1016/j.epsc.2020.101579
Subject(s) - medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , abdomen , foreign bodies , radiology , ingestion , mri scan , abdominal pain , foreign body , surgery
Ingestion of foreign bodies is most common in small children and older children with developmental disabilities and is not always clinically obvious. We report a case of a 4 years and 8 months old boy with infantile autism and mental retardation who underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain with unrecognized 15 pieces of magnetic toys located in the abdomen. The MRI revealed severe artefacts and the presence of the magnets was confirmed by an abdominal plain X-ray. At operation there were no abdominal lesions that could be ascribed to the MRI. A total of 15 magnetic toys were removed. A screening of foreign bodies with a plain X-ray of the abdomen and chest may be advised in disabled children with a history of recent abdominal pain prior to MRI.