Which of the following ingested foreign bodies is MOST likely to be missed on a standard (plain) abdominal X-ray because of its low radiopacity and similarity in density to surrounding soft tissues?
Aluminum has a relatively low atomic number (13) and a density closer to that of soft tissue than other common metals. As a result, thin aluminum objects such as soda-can pull tabs often fail to create sufficient contrast on plain radiographs and may be overlooked. In contrast, a steel sewing needle, a coin, and most glass fragments are significantly denser and usually appear clearly radiopaque, making them easier to detect.
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BCEN CEN
Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Gynecology, and Obstetrical
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