Detection of gastric drug packet by ultrasound scanning.

A 53-year-old male drug user was brought to the emergency department by police for suspected drug smuggling by body packing. The abdominal X-ray revealed suspicion of the presence of a drug packet in the gastric antrum, but the patient strongly denied body packing. Abdominal ultrasonography confirmed the presence of a 4.0 x 2.8 cm(2) oval-shaped echogenic mass with posterior shadowing in the gastric antrum. A small plastic bag with many blue tablets was later retrieved by endoscopy. Ultrasonography is recommended in similar cases with doubtful radiological findings.