DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjmcr.2024.v12i10.020

Pages: 1699-1706

Body packers is a term given to persons who smuggle drugs by swallowing, or inserting them into a body cavity, as drug filled packets, in an attempt to cross secure borders. Suspected Body packers may be brought to emergency departments under detention by the customs officers or police or may present themselves to emergency department for complications that can be fatal and lead to a death. Imaging plays a main role in screen, diagnosis and follow-up of these cases. The variety of drugs forms, and of new sophisticated smuggling techniques make detecting illicit drugs more difficult. Radiologists should be familiarized with radiological features of different ingested drug packets in all modalities of exams. Plain abdominal film is still the first radiological exam used to screen drug packets. However, many studies proved that it has a low sensitivity. Computed tomography is the most effective and accurate imaging modality to screen and diagnose body packing, and low dose CT seems to be the best alternative to abdominal plain. This review details imaging methods can be used to diagnose body packing and highlights its challenging aspects.