title: The salivagram in severe cerebral palsy and able-bodied adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that the salivagram is frequently positive in those at high risk of aspiration but negative in individuals at low risk of aspiration lung disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 63 individuals with spastic quadriparetic cerebral palsy (CP), aged 14 months to 16 years (31 females and 32 males), and 20 able-bodied young adult volunteers, aged 19-29 years (17 female and three males) using the salivagram. Twenty millilitres of 99mTc-sulphur colloid in saline was instilled into the pharynx of each subject over 1 h. Aspiration was characterised by the appearance of activity in either lung field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aspiration was demonstrated by salivagram in 56% of children with CP (95% confidence interval 43% to 68%), compared to 0% of young adults (97.5% one-sided confidence interval 0% to 17%). The difference in frequency is highly significant (P < 0.0006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The salivagram is frequently positive in those at high risk of aspiration, but frequently negative in those at low risk of aspiration. It may be a useful investigation for the demonstration of aspiration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia. gordon.baikie@rch.org.au
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baikie
authors.forename: Dinah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reddihough
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: South
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012463:Saliva / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid