The radiographic evaluation of infants with stridor.

In the elective evaluation of infant stridor, inspiratory plain radiographs of the neck and chest are routinely obtained with fluoroscopy and a barium swallow when indicated. Several factors, including patient positioning, roentgenographic technique, and the phase of respiration, may significantly alter the appearance of the airway, reducing the diagnostic accuracy of this modality and leading to misinterpretation of the pathologic changes.