Tuesday, May 30, 2006

you thought it was all over...

... when you swallowed that bubble gum. well, it can be seen on a CT scan, sitting there, in the stomach.

you've got to hand it to the volunteer who agreed to swallow bubble gum and get a CT to confirm what was found in the kids.

Pediatr Radiol. 1992;22(4):298-9.

Bubble gum simulating abdominal calcifications.

Geller E, Smergel EM.
Department of Radiology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA.

CT examination of the abdomens of two children demonstrated sites of high attenuation in the stomach, which were revealed to be bubble gum. Investigation of the CT appearance of samples of chewing gum showed that it consistently has high attenuation (178-345 HU). The attenuation of gum base, which contains calcium carbonate, was 476 HU. In addition, examination of a volunteer who had swallowed bubble gum confirmed the CT appearance.

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