THE VALUE OF RADIOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT FOR OROPHARYNGEAL FOREIGN-BODIES

A double-blind, controlled study to assess the accuracy of interpretat ion of lateral soft tissue radiographs of 60 patients with suspected f oreign body impaction in the oro/hypopharynx was carried out by 18 res pondents from three different specialities. All the patients had endos copy carried out and foreign bodies were present in 25. Of these, fore ign bodies were diagnosed on the radiograph in only 38.3 per cent. Fal se-positive diagnoses were made in a mean of 26.3 per cent of those pa tients who did not have a foreign body.