Barium swallow
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A barium swallow is a medical imaging procedure used to examine the upper GI (gastrointestinal) tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.
The patient drinks a suspension of barium sulfate. X-rays are taken after the barium has been swallowed. The barium suspension appears white on the X-rays and reveals the outlines of the upper GI tract. Either still or moving images can be captured.
In a timed barium swallow, which is used to measure esophageal emptying, X-rays are taken at 1, 2, and 5 minutes after quickly drinking about 200 ml of thin barium sulphate solution.
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