Barium Meal X-Ray examination?
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Visit this link: -
http://www.qldxray.com.au/patientinfo/barium_%20meal.html
Although I'm surprised you've not been given this advice by your doctor or hospital/clinic in preparation for it.
Other Answers:
i dont know about a barium "meal" but ive had the shake..its thick and nasty..kinda chalky. comes in strawberry and chocolate.try to hold it down though because you just have to drink more in order for your insides to "glow" for the xray..try not to think about it
I had one about 15 years ago. They said my bowel gases were normal. Hope yours are as well.
I'm guessing you've been having problems with acid reflux or difficulty swallowing if you're having a barium meal.
Basically, you go to the appointment, you don't need to do anything special before you go. They'll give you some liquid to drink which has barium in it - it doesn't taste very nice, but you have to just drink it anyway! While you're drinking it, they'll take a series of x-rays to check whether there are any obvious problems swallowing, like narrowing in the oesophagus (gullet) or any obvious abnormalities in the stomach. It's totally painless and it doesn't take very long at all, don't worry about it.
I have had 3 of them, and while the barium meal isn't the most pleasant tasting thing the test itslef is nothing to worry about. Take a book with you because you usually have to be there about 3 hours. Watch out after the test for weird white bowel movements, as this is obviously the barium working its way through. They tend to block the toilet a little (sorry, TMI).
I would contact the department performing the barium meal for preparation advice, as most places differ in what they ask you to do. Hope this helps, and good luck for your test :-)
A barium meal is a diagnostic imaging technique using flouroscopy (moving x-ray pictures). You wear a gown, stand (or lie on a bed that will be tipped up so you are almost upright) between an x-ray tube and a flouroscopy screen. Then they will give you a cup of white goop. It's quite thick and chalky in consistancy but it does come in fruity flavours so you can get it down. They will then give you instructions as to when to take a sip and then you will hear the machine switch on and the doctors/radiographers can watch the goop go down your oesophagus, thus seeing if you have a stricture or reflux or some such complaint.
barium "meal" has me a little confused as the reference to "meal"
There is a Barium swallow test, watches your reflex on swallowing or if you are aspirating food into the lung. in the test they will serve several different "textures"
for example water type liquid, milk shake, pudding, paste, cracker etc. these textures have different reflex responses when we swallow them. Some times this is done due to a vegal nerve response causes ppl to choke. I have also seen speech therapist use this to help diagnose some issues with the nerve.
You will be given an item to eat and the Radiologist will watch on a screen as you eat and swallow, maybe make you chew it longer and swallow. Not much of a meal- just a few pictures infront of the camera (fluoroscopic xray) and it usually doesn't take very long.
as for preparation the place you have this has preperation if any - many times it is NPO 4Hrs- nothing to eat/drink for 4 hours prior to the exam. Some times they will not require it.
The upper GI is an examination used to image the esophagus, the stomach, and the first part of the small bowel -- the duodenum. This examination uses barium to image these structures that would otherwise be invisible.
Upper GI or Barium Meal X-Ray
Barium entering the stomach
Upper GI or Barium Meal X-Ray
Barium and air in the stomach and duodenum
Preparation
The UGI examination requires a clean dry upper GI tract, however this can easily be obtained by simply not eating or drinking from midnight the night before your examination, until after your examination is over. We also ask that you abstain from smoking within this time period. Smoking encourages the mucosa (lining) of your throat, to produce more mucus than normal. This makes it harder for the barium to coat well and may limit the diagnostic capabilities of the examination.
Contrast
The UGI exam uses barium for contrast. This is an element from the periodic table that is suspended in water. It has a high 'atomic number' that makes it difficult for x-rays to pass through. For this examination, the barium used is also fruit flavoured to make it more palatable. Most patients note that it tastes a bit 'chalky' but otherwise tolerate it very well.
Barium is an inert substance. This means that it enters and exits the body in the same form. It does not interact with nor is it metabolized by the body making it a very safe and effective contrast media.
Almost all UGI examinations use gas along with barium, to distend the stomach and to make the barium 'see-through' rather than just solid white. The air is taken in the form of crystals which, when swallowed, bubble and produce air as they dissolve.
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Exam Description
When you arrive the day of your examination, you will be escorted to an area where you can change your clothes. At this time you will be taken into the examination room where the procedure will take place. During the examination, there will be two other people present. The technologist, who will ensure your comfort and safely throughout the procedure, and make sure that equipment functions properly. Also present is the radiologist who carries out the fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy uses radiation just like conventional x-ray, but rather than being a snap shot, it is more of a movie.
Because St. Michael's Hospital is a teaching facility, there may be a student technologist or radiology resident present for your examination. These students are highly trained and closely supervised to provide you with the best care while maximizing their education.
You will be asked to swallow the gas crystals first, and swallow them with a small amount of barium. The radiologist will align the machine so that he/she may examine you while you are swallowing the barium. This is usually done with you standing. After the swallowing has been studied, you will then lie down and roll your body over so that the stomach becomes completely coated for the examination. The examination will continue with the radiologist giving you directional and positional instructions, while periodically taking specific images of the demonstrated anatomy.
Part way through the study, you will drink more barium while lying down to study swallowing without the help of gravity. More images will be taken throughout and following this section of the exam. Once the radiologist has obtained the images that he or she wanted, the exam is then finished.
At this time, you may change back into your regular clothes and return to your normal activities. The barium will make you feel quite full until it leaves the stomach. You may eat and drink what you normally do. The whole procedure takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
We ask that you have 8-10 glasses of water a day for the two days following your procedure to help clear the barium out of your body as it can lead to constipation.
Please note that although the radiologist has been present for the examination, they have only had a preliminary look at the images. They will need more time to examine them before a diagnosis can be made, and the report sent to your doctor.
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