Viscosity and quality of images of thickened liquid after adding barium contrast for swallow studies/Viscosidade e qualidade da imagem do liquido espessado para videodeofluoroscopia de degluticao com acrescimo do contraste de bario

Purpose: study the viscosity of baby formula thickened at the swallow study after adding Barium. Methods: glasses with 200ml of formula were thickened to nectar, honey and pudding consistencies using seven different thickeners. Mean viscosity was verified with a viscometer at room temperature and after warming above 40[degrees]C and also after adding Barium contrast at concentrations of 50%, 25% and 12,5%. The prepared formula was exposed to fluoroscopy and the images were evaluated regarding visualization of the formula at different consistencies, concentrations of barium and thickeners. Results: when comparing mean centipoise (cps) measures the viscosity was significantly lower for the temperature above 40[degrees]C than room temperature. When Barium contrast was added to the formula thickened to nectar and to pudding consistencies a significant change into honey consistency was verified. There were no differences in quality of the images between the formula with Barium concentrations at 50% and 25%. Conclusion: significant changes in viscosity of nectar and pudding can occur after adding Barium to thickened baby formula. Reduction of Barium concentration to 25% did not result in significant changes in quality of images. Findings suggest importance of standardization of formula preparation for swallow studies regarding viscosity and concentration of Barium to assure consistency of the exam, prevent incorrect diagnose while optimizing orientation regarding diet modification in infant with dysphagia. KEYWORDS: Deglutition; Deglutition Disorders; Barium; Viscosity; Fluoroscopy Objetivos: estudar a viscosidade da formula de partida espessada para os exames de videofluoroscopia de degluticao apos acrescimo de contraste de Bario. Metodos: copos de 200 ml de leite foram preparados em tres consistencias com sete espessantes. A viscosidade media foi verificada com viscosimetro nas temperaturas ambiente e acima de 40[degrees]C, e apos acrescentar o contraste de Bario em diluicoes a 50%, 25% e 12,5%. Os preparados foram expostos a fluoroscopia para obtencao de imagens que foram avaliadas quanto a visualizacao do preparado nas diferentes consistencias, diluicoes e espessantes. Resultados: comparando valores medios em centipoise(cP), observou-se que a viscosidade na consistencia pudim foi significantemente menor na temperatura acima de 40[degrees]C do que na temperatura ambiente. Nas consistencias nectar e pudim o acrescimo de Bario resultou em mudanca significante d