Penetration-Aspiration Scale (Swallow Study)
Penetration-Aspiration Scale (Rosenbek 1996) — the standard 8-point ordinal scale for the depth of airway invasion during a swallow study (videofluoroscopy / FEES).
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- PAS score
- 6 - below vocal folds, ejected (aspiration)
Result: PAS 6: material passes below the vocal folds and is ejected into the larynx or out of the airway; aspiration.
The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.
What the result means
- PAS 1
- Material does not enter the airway; no airway invasion.
- PAS 2-5
- Penetration: material enters the airway above or at the level of the vocal folds.
- PAS 6-8
- Aspiration: material passes below the vocal folds. 8 is silent aspiration (no effort to eject).
What you enter
- PAS score
How this is calculated
Rosenbek JC, Robbins JA, Roecker EB, Coyle JL, Wood JL. A penetration-aspiration scale. Dysphagia. 1996;11(2):93-98. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.