CTICasesSwallowed Foreign Body (Tooth) in the Esophagus
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Imaging findings
Chest radiograph demonstrates a small, radiopaque foreign body with both metallic and soft-tissue densities projecting over the upper mediastinum. Subsequent CT chest confirms the foreign body (a broken tooth) is located within the esophageal lumen rather than the airway. Serial radiographs track its migration into the colon.
Key takeaways
In patients with poor dentition undergoing recent endotracheal intubation, dislodged teeth are a common source of foreign body aspiration or ingestion. Distinguishing airway from esophageal localization is critical; while tracheal or bronchial foreign bodies require urgent bronchoscopic retrieval to avoid atelectasis and pneumonia, swallowed objects in the esophagus often pass safely through the gastrointestinal tract.
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