Pediatric Bezoar

  • Etiology: accumulation of undigested material in the gastrointestinal tract
    — Trichobezoar = hair – most common
    — Phytobezoar = indigestible plant or vegetable material
    — Lactobezoar = milk curd
  • Imaging: large fixed filling defect in gastrointestinal tract, usually in stomach
  • Complications: gastric outlet obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, protein-losing enteropathy, acute pancreatitis, small bowel obstruction, perforation
  • Clinical: can also be rarely seen in the small bowel and colon

Radiology Cases of Bezoar

AXR and Upper GI of trichobezoar
AXR AP (left) shows radio-opaque material filling and distending the midline stomach which is displacing the transverse colon inferiorly. AP image from an upper GI exam (right) shows a thin coat of barium outlining a large cast of material within the distended stomach. Endoscopy showed the stomach to be full of hair.