Which procedure is definitive for diagnosing and removing an airway foreign body?

Answer: B — Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is the definitive approach because it provides direct visualization of the airways, confirming the presence of a foreign body and enabling immediate removal under direct vision. In children, symptoms of aspirated objects can be nonspecific and chest X-ray findings may be normal or misleading, so imaging alone often isn’t enough to diagnose. Bronchoscopy allows the clinician to see the object, assess its position, and retrieve it with appropriate instruments in one procedure, reducing the risk of ongoing obstruction or bronchial injury. In pediatric practice, rigid bronchoscopy is typically favored for removal because it offers a secure airway, a larger working channel for instruments, and better control of potential complications, making extraction more reliable and safer. While imaging like chest X-ray can support suspicion, and flexible bronchoscopy may be used in select cases, neither MRI nor ultrasound can match bronchoscopy for diagnosing and removing an airway foreign body.