Evaluation of foreign body aspiration according to correlation of time-density in computed tomography, which has virtual bronchoscopy model

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) which is aspirated external substance is often not known properly. The type of materials and the aspiration time can not be learned from the families decisively. In our clinic, we have observed that the most observed organic materials among the FBA materials are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, roasted chickpeas, garbanzo beans, lemon, apple and watermelon seeds. In this study, with suspected pediatric patients, the aim is defining the aspirated materials in the virtual bronchoscopy (VB) according to their density differences, to be prepared to this process in the bronchoscopy and evaluating the efficency of the SB in the diagnosis. In our study, two sponges with the sizes of 2X5X30 cm used and slots have been carved out to the one at the bottom properly to the possible FBA materials. Materials has been placed in these slots. The other sponge emplaced on top of the former. Both of the sponges have been saturated and emplaced in ?Benmari? to keep them saturated. Thus a humid medium in 37oC has been established and sponges have remained in this medum for 7 days. Sponges has been scanned in a tomography and the FBA materials have been measured for density and volume changes. The differences of the densities of FBA materials on the tomography sections have been evaluated with time-density and time-volume curves. The outcomes have been compared as statistical ?T-test? with ?ANOVA?. Consequently, the types of the organic FBA materials can be defined with the measurements of the daily changes. Although the organic materials have been swelled in the first 4 days 30%, they shrinked below of their original volumes at the 7th day. Thus, it has been foreseen that the organic materials are much easier to remove in the first 3 days and 7th day compared to the 4-6 day interval. Keywords: Foreign body aspiration, virtual bronchoscopy, density