| Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 3 | |
| Consistency | Loose powder | Matted powder | Rock-hard paste |
| Wrapping | Condoms, toy balloons | Multilayer tubular latex | |
| Ties | Bulky | Smooth | |
| x Ray appearance | |||
| Shape | Round or cigar | Oblong | Not seen |
| Density | Radio-opaque or radiolucent | Radio-opaque | Not seen |
| Gas halos | None or irregular | Present and regular | Not seen |
| Ties | Not apparent or “rosette” | Not seen | |
| Hazard | Often break or leach | No reports of breaking or leaching | |