X-ray reveals body infested with tapeworm larvae
On 17 Jan, a stomach-turning X-ray went viral after an Emergency Room (ER) doctor shared it on X, calling it one of the “most insane X-rays” he’d ever seen.
In the almost three-minute video, Dr Sam Ghali, an ER doctor based in Florida, presented an X-ray of a patient’s lower torso and hips.
However, unlike typical X-ray images that highlight the hip bones in white against a dark background, this one showed numerous white “rice grain” nodules scattered across the patient’s hips.
Here's a video I made breaking down one of the most insane X-Rays I've ever seen#FOAMed pic.twitter.com/wp8xtGFTV5
— Sam Ghali, M.D. (@EM_RESUS) January 16, 2025
In a voiceover, Dr Ghali explained that these white spots were calcified tapeworm larvae.
Tapeworm larvae infestation linked to uncooked pork
The X post has since garnered over 14 million views and more than a thousand comments.
According to Dr Ghali, the unnamed patient was suffering from cysticercosis, an infection caused by the larval cysts of Taenia solium, also known as the pork tapeworm.
He explained that the infection likely occurred after consuming raw or undercooked pork, which introduced the parasite into the patient’s system.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Typically, the parasite’s eggs develop into adult tapeworms in the intestines within five to 12 weeks.
However, cysticercosis doesn’t result directly from eating undercooked pork.
Instead, it is transmitted when infected individuals pass tapeworm eggs through their faeces.
Dr Ghali clarified in the video: “This happens when someone with intestinal worms passes the eggs to another person through contaminated food, water, or poor hygiene.”
These cysts, he added, “can travel anywhere in the body”.
Patient came in for hip fracture
In this case, the tapeworm larvae migrated to the patient’s muscles and soft tissue in the hips and legs.
Over time, the cysts calcified, creating the “rice grain calcification” pattern visible on the X-ray.
While cysts in soft tissue typically don’t cause immediate harm, they can become life-threatening if they travel to the brain.
This condition, known as neurocysticercosis, can lead to severe symptoms such as seizures, headaches, confusion, and even death.
The patient’s X-ray wasn’t intended to diagnose the condition; it was taken after they fell and fractured their hip, with the infestation discovered accidentally.
Dr Ghali stressed the importance of proper food hygiene, saying: “Always wash your hands and never eat raw or undercooked pork.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around two to eight million people are infected with neurocysticercosis, with most cases reported in farming communities in Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe.
Also read: Patient in US gets parasitic cysts after ingesting tapeworm found in undercooked pork
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Featured image adapted from Sam Ghali, M.D. on X and Lebensmittelfotos on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
