Ultrasonographic measurement of antral CSA is feasible and reliable in the majority of critically ill patients. This technique could be useful to manage critically ill patients at risk of aspiration or with enteral feeding.

Antral usCSA measurements were feasible in 95% of cases and were positively correlated with gastric volume measured by the CT scan when performed in “good” conditions (65%) (r = 0.43).

There was good reproducibility of measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.97, CI 95% 0.96-0.99) and there was clinically acceptable agreement between measurements performed by radiologists and intensivists (bias -0.12 cm(2)).

This single-center, prospective, cross-sectional study included 55 critically ill patients who had an abdominal CT scan. usCSA measurements were performed within the hour preceding the CT scan.

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