ALUMINUM RING PULLS - AN INVISIBLE FOREIGN-BODY

The aluminium ring pulls associated with the latest designs of drinks cans can be relatively easily detached from their mounting on the top of the can and subsequently aspirated. Their small size predisposes th em to lodge as foreign bodies (FBs) in the throat. The similarity of a tomic number between soft tissue (7.5) and aluminium (13) makes detect ion of these FBs difficult on soft tissue radiography. If aspiration i s suspected direct visualization and removal may be indicated even if radiography is negative.