Which test is used to confirm proper NG tube placement after insertion?

• A. X-ray
• B. Visual inspection of the exterior of the tube
• C. Listening for bowel sounds
• D. Checking weight after placement

Answer: (A)

Confirming NG tube placement is essential to ensure feeds or medications go into the stomach and not the respiratory tract. The most reliable method is radiographic imaging. An X-ray shows the tube’s path and the tip location, confirming it lies in the stomach (below the diaphragm) and not in the esophagus or lungs. This helps prevent serious complications like aspiration or pneumonitis if the tube were misplaced. External checks, listening for air with auscultation, or weighing the patient don’t provide accurate confirmation of where the tip sits inside the body, so they aren’t sufficient on their own. If an X-ray isn’t immediately available, some guidelines use other methods (such as aspirate pH) as supplementary information, but X-ray remains the definitive standard for placement confirmation.