Journal article
Abdominal X-ray signs of intra-intestinal drug smuggling
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC AND LEGAL MEDICINE, Vol.17(4), pp.198-202
05/01/2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2009.12.013
PMID: 20382355
Abstract
Introduction: "Body packers" either swallow or insert drug filled packets rectally or vaginally in order to smuggle illicit drugs. AXR is used routinely to screen suspects for the presence of intra-intestinal drug packages. AXR diagnosis can be difficult as stool or gas within the intestine may resemble ingested foreign bodies. We identify the frequency and co-existence of several signs; tic-tac sign, rosette sign, double condom sign, dense surrounding material, density and discover a new sign; parallelism, which will aid in increasing the radiological accuracy.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 285 AXRs performed for suspicion of drug smuggling during the period of March 2006-March 2009 to identify the frequency of these signs.
Results: Of the 285 AXRs performed 59 were positive, 221 negative and five were indeterminate. The tictac sign was present in 93%, double condom sign in 73%, dense surrounding wrapping material in 36% and parallelism in 27%. Sixty one percentage of drug packages were iso-dense to faeces and 39% hyperdense. Twenty percentage of the positive abdominal radiographs demonstrated one of the radiographic signs, 39% demonstrated two signs, 32% demonstrated three and 7% four. The most common radiographic sign combination was the tic-tac sign with either dense surrounding material or double condom sign.
Conclusion: The most commonly encountered radiographic sign is the tic-tac sign, followed by the double condom sign and dense surrounding material. We also discover a new sign, "parallelism" which although uncommon is highly specific. Accuracy is further increased by comparing the density of packages to faeces and looking for the co-existence of multiple signs. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Abdominal X-ray signs of intra-intestinal drug smuggling
- Creators
- Sylwia Niewiarowski - Hillingdon HospitalAndrew Gogbashian - Hillingdon HospitalAsim Afaq - Hillingdon HospitalRobin Kantor - Hillingdon HospitalZarni Win - Hillingdon Hospital
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- JOURNAL OF FORENSIC AND LEGAL MEDICINE, Vol.17(4), pp.198-202
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jflm.2009.12.013
- PMID
- 20382355
- ISSN
- 1752-928X
- eISSN
- 1532-2009
- Number of pages
- 5
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/01/2010
- Academic Unit
- Radiology
- Record Identifier
- 9984318686502771
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