Radiology Case Reports

Retained loose bodies sometimes remain undetected in the initial evaluation of soft tissue wounds in the emergency room setting, especially if the loose body is localized deep to the skin surface or does not present as a radio-opaque density on radiography. Loose bodies retained in wounds may be associated with significant problems including inflammation, pain, and chronic infection refractory to antibiotics. In order to minimize the potential difficulties associated with surgical excision, effective removal of small loose bodies from soft tissues requires adequate detection techniques. Ultrasound can be a safe and cost-effective tool in surgical removal of loose bodies in soft tissue. The use of ultrasound for localization and guided removal of a soft Introduction tissue loose body is discussed.