Optimizing radiographic control of gastric feeding tubes in neonates

Objectives: This study should examine, whether injection of air via gastric feeding tube improves stomach visibility on radiographs and thereby improves definition of gastric feeding tube positions in neonates. The reproducibility of defining tube positions on radiographs using this method and the safety of this method should be determined. Methods: In neonates undergoing radiography we injected 5–10ml of air via lying gastric feeding tube prior to taking the radiograph. In an observer-interventional study design the usefulness of this procedure was analysed by comparing radiographs taken with and without this i…