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Barium: Barium Enema
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A Barium Enema is a type of radiology examination to check the abnormalities of the large intestine. In this procedure, the examination involves inserting the Barium mixture and air into the rectum. An x-ray is taken afterwards.
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Barium enema (BE) is a test most people would like to avoid. The truth is, if done properly, a barium enema need not be an awful ordeal. Basically the barium enema is a fluoroscopic test used to study the large bowel, or colon.
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Barium sulfate rectal suspension is given rectally as an enema. Your health care professional will tell you how to prepare for your test. If you have not received instructions or if you do not understand them, check with your health care professional before the test. You will not be able to eat for a certain period of time before the barium enema test. You may be allowed to drink small amounts of clear liquids. Before the enema is given, you may need to take a laxative to clean the bowel.
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This BE test can be uncomfortable because an enema tube with a retention balloon is inserted into the rectum and liquid Barium allowed to flow from an enema bag into the colon. There is a single contrast or full column technique, and an air-contrast technique. The single contrast is faster and easier to tolerate.
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Perhaps the most familiar is the one used in a medical procedure, the barium enema. When doctors need to examine a patient's digestive system, a mixture containing barium sulfate is used to coat the inner lining of the intestines. Similarly, to enhance examination of the stomach and esophagus, the patient drinks a chalky barium sulfate liquid. When the patient is X-rayed, the barium coating inside the digestive tract absorbs a large proportion of the radiation. This highlights the black-and-white contrast of the X-ray photograph, so that doctors can better diagnose digestive problems.
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Barium Enema