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Lawrence R. Goodman, MD; Charles E. Putman, MD

JAMA. 1981;245(8):858-860.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

WITH the increasing use of tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilators for respiratory support, both clinician and radiologist are seeing an increased number of portable roentgenograms of patients receiving assisted ventilation. An understanding of the expected radiological appearance and potential complications should help decrease the frequency of iatrogenic problems in these critically ill patients.¹

Endotracheal Tube

The ideal location for the tip of the endotracheal tube is 5 to 7 cm from the carina. This places the tip midway between the carina and the vocal cords. When the carina is not visible, its position may be approximated from prior portable films or by using the vertebral bodies as reference markers. On 95% of portable roentgenograms, the carina projects over the fifth, sixth, or seventh thoracic vertebral body.¹

Proper positioning of the tube is important because flexion or extension of the neck moves the endotracheal tube tip relative to the . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, Philadelphia (Dr Goodman), and the Department of Radiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC (Dr Putman).

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (Dr Goodman).

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