Body packing, body stuffing and body pushing: Characteristics and pitfalls on low-dose CT.

Because of availability and low radiation dose level, low dose computed tomography (CT) is now commonly used to identify illicit in corpore drug transportation. This review illustrates the most common CT findings of in corpore drug transportation and describes complications due to in corpore drug transportation, with a special emphasis on low dose CT. Major information such as number of packets, exact location and aspect of packets must be assessed. Radiologist must be aware of the imaging characteristics of " in corpore " illicit drug transportation, and should know situations that may alter drug smugglers management. • Low dose CT is commonly used to identify in corpore drug transportation. • While drug packets are mainly hyperdense on CT, they can sometimes have a lower density. • Sagittal and coronal reconstructions, as well as three-dimensional rendered views are often helpful to detect hyperattenuating drug packets • If too many packets are located in the stomach, the patient should be transferred to intensive care unit for surveillance because of a high risk of rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]