X-Ray Reveals Hundreds of Gold Needles in Woman’s Knees

In the woman’s acupuncture treatment, the needles, which were presumably made of gold, were intentionally left in her tissue for continued stimulation, the report says.

Still, leaving the needles, or any objects, in the body may not be such a good idea, according to Dr. Ali Guermazi, a professor of radiology at Boston University, who wasn’t involved with the case. Foreign objects left inside the body can lead to inflammation, abscesses and infection.

It could also make it hard for a doctor to read an X-ray. “The needles may obscure some of the anatomy,” Guermazi said.