Handheld metal detector versus conventional chest and abdominal plain radiography in children with suspected metallic foreign body ingestion: can we safely abandon X-rays?

Background: Ingestion of metallic foreign bodies (MFBs) is a frequent occurrence in children and is commonly diagnosed via X-rays. In recent years, the handheld metal detector (HMD) has been increasingly adopted by several pediatric hospitals as it is considered an effective and accurate diagnostic tool that avoids exposure to ionizing radiations. Sensitivity of HMD has been reported high (99.