Web page review process: This Web page is reviewed regularly by a physician with expertise in the medical area presented and is further reviewed by committees from the Radiological Society of North America RSNA and the American College of Radiology ACR , comprising physicians with expertise in several radiologic areas.
Outside links: For the convenience of our users, RadiologyInfo. Toggle navigation. What is small bowel follow-through? What are some common uses of the procedure? How should I prepare? What does the equipment look like? How does the procedure work?
How is the procedure performed? What will I experience during and after the procedure? Who interprets the results and how do I get them? What are the benefits vs. What are the limitations of Small Bowel Follow-Through? It also may be performed to diagnose conditions such as: Crohn's disease small bowel obstruction inflammatory bowel disease abnormal masses or polyps cancer of the small intestine complications related to surgery on the abdomen or bowel.
Benefits Abdominal x-ray imaging is a painless, minimally invasive procedure that rarely has complications. Radiology examinations can often provide enough information to avoid more invasive procedures. No radiation stays in your body after an x-ray exam. X-rays usually have no side effects in the typical diagnostic range for this exam. Risks There is always a slight chance of cancer from excessive exposure to radiation. However, given the small amount of radiation used in medical imaging, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs the associated risk.
Women should always tell their doctor and x-ray technologist if they are pregnant. Barium may cause constipation or impacted stool if it isn't completely cleared from the body. Send us your feedback Did you find the information you were looking for?
Yes No. Area Code:. Phone no:. Radiologist and patient consultation. View full size with caption. Pediatric Content Some imaging tests and treatments have special pediatric considerations. RadInfo 4 Kids. When swallowed, a barium drink coats the inside walls of the upper GI tract organs so that the swallowing motion, inside wall lining, function, size, and shape of these organs are visible on X-ray.
This process shows differences that might not be seen on standard X-rays. Barium is used only for diagnostic studies of the GI tract. The use of barium with standard X-rays contributes to the visibility of various characteristics of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
Some abnormalities of the upper GI tract that may be detected with an upper GI series include tumors, ulcers, hernias, diverticula pouches , strictures narrowing , inflammation, and swallowing difficulties. In addition to barium, the radiologist may use a gas, such as air or a carbonated substance. You may be given a powder, tablet, or carbonated beverage that produces gas when swallowed.
Alternately, you may drink the barium through a perforated straw so that you swallow air with the barium. The use of the two substances, barium and gas, is called a double contrast study.
The radiologist may use the water-soluble contrast if you have a perforation tear or hole of the bowel or esophagus, or for other reasons determined by your doctor. The purpose of using two contrast substances is to achieve an enhancement of the inside wall lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. As the gas expands the organs like blowing up a balloon , a barium coating is formed on the inner surface of the organs.
Other related procedures that may be used to diagnose upper GI problems are barium swallow and esophagogastroduodenoscopy EGD. An upper GI series may be performed to diagnose structural or functional abnormalities of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. These abnormalities may include, but are not limited to:. You may want to ask your doctor about the amount of radiation used during the procedure and the risks related to your particular situation.
It's a good idea to keep a record of your past history of radiation exposure, such as previous scans and other types of X-rays, so that you can inform your doctor. If you're pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your doctor.
Radiation exposure during pregnancy may lead to birth defects. Patients who are allergic to or sensitive to medications, contrast dyes, iodine, or latex should notify their doctor. Constipation or fecal impaction may occur if the barium isn't completely eliminated from the body.
There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. The barium will make your poo white or pale until it has all come out of your gut after a day or so. If you had an injection to relax the muscles in your stomach, it may cause some blurring of your vision for an hour or so.
If this happens it is best not to drive. Tell your doctor if you have insulin-dependent diabetes , so that you can arrange for the best time for you to stop eating and for the test to be done. Pregnant women , if possible, should not have an X-ray test, as there is a small risk that X-rays may harm the unborn child.
This is why women are asked before having an X-ray whether they are, or might be, pregnant. J Bras Pneumol. Tech Coloproctol. Epub Aug World J Radiol. This is going to sound crazy but please, bear with me. I had my first brain MRI yesterday and the experience was something that I have had a hard time explaining. As you know, with each set of Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.
Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.
For details see our conditions. In this series. In this article Why is barium used during some X-ray tests? Types of barium test What preparation do I need to do? After you have had a barium X-ray test Are there any side-effects of a barium x-ray? Some other points about barium X-ray tests. The radiologist will intermittently screen the patient's abdomen to assess the passage of barium and to take images to document any abnormal findings. In between X-rays it is usual for the patient to lie on their right side in order to encourage fluid to pass from the stomach into the small bowel.
Once the barium has reached the colon, the patient is usually asked to visit the bathroom followed by a single further X-ray in order to provide an overview of the barium within the small and large intestines. Your doctor may have previously performed an endoscopy that yielded no conclusive results, and thus may be trying to rule out the following conditions:. Digestive Disease Center.
Digestive Diseases. Small Intestine. Digestive Organs. Chronic Pancreatitis Surgery.
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