Added value of lung window in detecting drug mules on non-contrast abdominal computed tomography.

Abstract

We evaluated the added value of lung window in non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of suspected body packers or stuffers. Forty suspected drug mules who were referred to our tertiary toxicology center were included. The final diagnosis of drug mule was based on the detection of packs in stool examination or surgery. Non-contrast CT scans were retrospectively interpreted by two blinded radiologists in consensus before and after reviewing the lung window images. The diagnostic performance of abdominal window scans alone and scans in both abdominal and lung windows were subsequently compared. Seven body packers and 21 body stuffers were identified. The sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy of scans in detection of drug mules (either drug packers or stuffers) raised from 60.7, 52.1, and 72.5 to 64.2, 54.5, and 75.0%, respectively, with a more number of packs being detected (114 vs. 105 packs). In the body packers group, the diagnostic performance of both abdominal windows scans and combined abdominal and lung windows scans were 100%. In the body stuffers group, the sensitivity, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy of scans increased from 47.6, 52.1, and 55.0 to 52.3, 54.5, and 57.5%, respectively, after the addition of lung windows. Reviewing the lung window on non-contrast abdominal CT can be helpful in detection of drug mules.