Barium Studies

The Iowa Clinic offers the following barium studies:

• Lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract X-ray — also called Barium enema — is a diagnostic examination of the colon — or large intestine — to check for colon cancer, polyps, diverticula or other abnormalities.
• The upper GI tract X-ray, is a diagnotistic examination from the esophagus to the end of the small intestine. Three separate X-ray examinations may be done, either alone or in combination, to produce images of this system. The three exams are:
  • Barium Swallow, an examination of the canal in the throat that leads from the mouth to the opening of the stomach
  • Upper GI (UGI), an examination of the stomach
  • Small Bowel Series, an examination of the small intestine