OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential use of low-tube-current MDCT virtual bronchoscopy for the evaluation of children with suspected foreign body aspiration.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Low-tube-current MDCT was performed in 23 patients (10 girls, 13 boys) with a mean age of 3.3 years (9 months–13 years) with suspicion of foreign body aspiration. Chest radiographs were obtained before CT was performed. MDCT was performed using 25- to 50-mA tube currents. MDCT virtual bronchoscopy images were obtained. Neither sedation nor IV contrast medium was used during CT scanning. All patients underwent endoscopic evaluation within 24 hr after MDCT was performed. MDCT virtual bronchoscopy findings were retrospectively compared with the results of rigid bronchoscopy.RESULTS. The mean tube current was 35 mA (range, 25–50 mA). Imaging quality was excellent in nine studies (39%), good in 12 studies (52%), and poor in two studies (9%). Motion artifacts were present on several slices in five exami...

To evaluate the prognosis of breath holding spells (BHS) after iron treatment, 91 children (56 boys, 35 girls) aged between 6 months and 40 months (median, 17) were followed prospectively for a median of 45 months (range, 6–89). In 49 of the children, the frequency of BHS was less than 10 each month, in 22 it was 10–30 each month, and in 20 more than 30 each month. The spells were cyanotic in 60 children. All patients were evaluated initially and during follow up for haematological indices. Electroencephalographic and electrocardiographic abnormalities were also recorded. Sixty three patients were found to have iron deficiency anaemia and were treated with iron (6 mg/kg/day) for three months. Other patients were not given any treatment. After three months, there was a significant difference for correction of cyanotic spells between children who had been treated with iron and those who had not (84.1%v 21.4%). During further follow up, febrile convulsions occurred in 10 children (six were on iron treatment initially). It appears that treating iron deficiency anaemia is effective in reducing the frequency of BHS.