1 Indications for radiography

Radiography of the stomach with barium makes it possible to obtain an image of its contours and to estimate the dynamics of the intake of barium( the rate of its movement) from the esophagus towards the duodenum.

Such a study may be prescribed to confirm or disprove such diseases as:

• of a stomach hernia;
• stomach ulcer;
• malformations of the esophagus or stomach;
• obstruction;
• presence of benign or malignant neoplasms;
• deformation of the walls of the stomach( their protrusion).

This diagnostic allows you to determine the pathology and its exact location.

X-ray of the esophagus and stomach can be recommended if there are such symptoms:

• rapid weight loss;
• frequent heartburn;
• belching;
• violation of the swallowing reflex;
• pain in the navel;
• suspected of inflammatory process in the organs of the digestive tract;
• presence of blood in stool.

2 Preparation before examination

Before going through the procedure of fluoroscopy of the stomach and esophagus, the patient must prepare himself beforehand. Correct preparation for the study will make it possible to obtain a high-quality image.

2-3 days before the X-ray, you need to switch to a special diet, which means excluding from the diet products that increase the process of gas formation. It is recommended to eat cereals( without milk), lean meat, fish and eggs. The banned products include:

• carbonated beverages;
• cabbage;
• sweets;
• dairy products;
• flour products.

The x-ray of the stomach is made exclusively on an empty stomach, so the patient is forbidden to eat any food on the day of the examination. Also chewing gum, smoking, the use of liquid and medicinal preparations are forbidden. The study is conducted no earlier than 8 hours after the last meal.

In some cases, when the examinee has problems in the digestive tract, which causes constipation or flatulence, preparation before x-rays includes a cleansing enema or gastric lavage.

Special attention should be given to allergic reactions. The fact is that barium sulphate is able to cause allergy and if the patient knows about such a characteristic of his organism, then he should inform the treating doctor about it. In this situation, a study using a different contrast agent may be prescribed. If the researcher has not previously encountered barium sulfate and does not know how the body will react to its presence, the preparation for the examination will include a test for the presence of allergy.

3 Procedure for performing the diagnosis of the digestive tract

During the examination, the patient should not have metal ornaments, they will need to be removed. Before starting to study the digestive tract, the doctor gives the patient barium sulfate, which you need to drink. The examinee is placed on a special table and proceeds to the diagnosis.

The x-ray of the stomach with barium allows the radiologist to see how the contrast agent( barium sulfate) washes and fills defects on the walls of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs and the motor activity of the esophagus. During the diagnosis, the patient will need to additionally use a contrast agent, if there is a need for tight filling of the stomach. When the contrast completely fills the stomach cavity, the doctor can study its shape change, structure, extensibility and contraction, as well as the displacement of other organs. This examination will show the presence of neoplasms and ulcers.

To obtain the most accurate results from radiography, the patient will need to change the position of his body throughout the study. The doctor can ask the patient to turn over from side to side, lie on his stomach or even stand up. Of particular importance is the posture when the patient lies on his back with a raised pelvis at 45 °.In this pose, the X-ray shows the presence of a hernia of the esophageal part of the diaphragm. Radiography of the stomach allows you to visually examine the pharynx, esophagus, diaphragm, stomach, intestine.

There is another way of X-ray of the stomach, it is considered more accurate - double contrasting. This method implies, in addition to the use of barium sulfate, the introduction through the probe into the stomach of the air. Due to air and contrast medium, a clearer outline of the organ is visible on the screen. In addition, the patient is additionally injected with antispasmodics, they are necessary in order to relax the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and suppress the peristalsis of the stomach and intestines.

Sometimes fluoroscopy of the esophagus and stomach is combined with fluoroscopy of the large intestine( irrigoscopy).In this case, barium is injected through the anus. Preparation before irrigoscopy implies the resolution of 2 cleansing enemas. One put 12 hours before the procedure of the study, and the second - 3 hours before the X-ray.

The entire examination procedure takes about 40 minutes. Immediately after the completion of the radiography, the patient may experience mild nausea, which will soon pass. Barium sulphate will leave the body together with the feces, while it will color them white. Barium sulfate also has a binding effect, so you should expect constipation after diagnosis. To speed up the process of leaving the barium, after the examination it is recommended to drink 1-1.5 water.

4 Contraindications

As with any type of diagnosis, and x-ray of the stomach with barium may be contraindicated to the patient. This diagnosis is not carried out if the patient has an individual intolerance to the barium or is in serious condition. In addition, fluoroscopy is contraindicated in pregnant women and patients with gastric or esophageal bleeding.

In some situations, the examination of the stomach and esophagus with the barium of pregnant women can be permitted( with the permission of the gynecologist), if this diagnosis is key and justifies the risk. That is, the data of the test results are needed urgently and do not allow delay.

If there are contraindications to the x-ray of the stomach, the patient may be recommended an alternative method of examining the condition of internal organs, such as fibrogastroscopy. This method involves the introduction into the esophagus of a special endoscope tube with its further movement into the stomach. The endoscope is equipped with a camera, thanks to which the doctor can assess the condition of the inner walls of the stomach. If necessary, an endoscope can take a portion of the mucosa for biopsy.

If the patient has been recommended to do an X-ray of the stomach, then you should not be afraid of this analysis and refuse it. Despite the caused discomfort during the study, this technique allows us to detect the presence of pathological processes in a timely manner and take all necessary measures to eliminate them.