Digestive radiology – DC barium meal
The DC barium meal dynamic radiology examination, under fluoroscopy, explores the inside of your stomach using two contrast agents: barium (a thick white liquid) and carbon dioxide gas (effervescent granules) that you take orally at the start of the procedure.
A barium meal is usually ordered if you suffer from:
- Heartburn
- Abdominal pain
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Diarrhea with weight loss
Examination procedure
For this procedure, you must:
- Wear a hospital gown and remove your jewelry and any metal object that might adversely affect image quality
- Drink a small amount of barium and swallow effervescent granules
A few static X-rays will be taken. The examination takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Preparing for the Examination
To properly prepare for the examination, please follow the procedure below:
- If your appointment is in the morning, no solid food should be eaten after 8:00 p.m. the evening before the exam. However, you may drink water until midnight. If your appointment is in the afternoon, you must adhere to an 8 hour fast.
- On the day of the examination, you should be fasting. You should not smoke or chew gum.
- If you need to take any medicine, it should be taken after your test.
If your healthcare professional has prescribed this examination or if you have any questions, contact us at 1 833 590-2714
