CTICasesAspirated Calcium Supplement Tablet (Endobronchial Foreign Body)
Imaging findings
Chest CT in a lung transplant recipient demonstrates a densely calcified (hyperdense) spherical foreign body lodged in a right lower lobe bronchus, without significant distal atelectasis. Bronchoscopy confirmed an aspirated calcium citrate tablet that required fragmentation for extraction, with associated purulent secretions distal to the obstruction.
Key takeaways
Aspiration of pharmaceutical tablets, particularly calcium or magnesium supplements, can produce a highly hyperdense endobronchial foreign body on CT that can be confused for a calcified endobronchial lesion or carcinoid tumor. The correct interpretation relies on the rounded morphology, extreme density (reflecting the mineral content of the tablet), and clinical history of tablet ingestion.
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