Dec. 15, 2008 Minimally invasive, image-guided treatment is a
safe and precise method for removal of self-inflicted foreign
objects from the body, according to the first report on "self-
embedding disorder," or self-injury and self-inflicted foreign
body insertion in adolescents. The findings will be presented
December 3 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of
North America (RSNA). "Radiologists are in a unique position to
be the first to detect self-embedding disorder, make the
appropriate diagnosis and mobilize the healthcare system for
early and effective intervention and treatment," said the
study's principal investigator, William E. Shiels II, D.O.,
chief of the Department of Radiology at Nationwide Children's
Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Self-injury, or self-harm, refers to
a variety of behaviors in which a person intentionally inflicts
harm to his or her body without suicidal intent. It is a
disturbing trend among U.S. adolescents, particularly girls.
Prevalence is unknown because many cases