What is barium meal radiography

Barium meal radiography is a relatively common examination method, usually used to examine digestive diseases. Most people do not know much about barium meal radiography and are afraid that this examination will cause harm to their health. In fact, when doing barium meal radiography, it is best to go to a regular professional large hospital. Moreover, this examination generally has very little side effects, but it is not suitable for everyone.

What is a barium meal?

Barium meal radiography, also known as upper gastrointestinal barium contrast examination, is a diagnostic method for upper gastrointestinal diseases in which the subject swallows a paste of barium sulfate (contrast agent). The barium is used to develop images as it passes through the esophagus to the stomach and duodenum. Because it is insoluble in water and lipids, it will not be absorbed by the gastrointestinal mucosa and is therefore basically non-toxic to humans. Barium meal radiography, also known as barium radiography of the digestive tract, is an examination method that uses barium sulfate as a contrast agent to show whether there are any lesions in the digestive tract under X-ray irradiation.

What is a barium meal examination?

Barium meal radiography is often used for digestive system examinations. Barium meal is a food-grade medical product. The barium meal is taken orally and then developed through X-rays to observe tumor changes in the patient's digestive system, mucosal symptoms, etc. Barium meal examination has advantages that other digestive system examination items do not have, such as less pain, contrast, and low cost.

Barium meal radiography is a contrast agent for the digestive system. Its main substance is barium sulfate. The barium meal is hydrolyzed and taken orally. The digestive tract is then visualized under the action of X-rays, and the lesions of the digestive system are then observed. Because the density and thickness of human organs and tissues are different, different shadows will appear on the human body after X-ray examination, which can be used for comparison and examination of lesions.

For example, barium meal examination can effectively diagnose patients with advanced esophageal cancer, because after the barium meal passes through X-ray, it can clearly display the location and range of esophageal cancer lesions, the filling and defects of the esophagus, whether there is stenosis and esophageal peristalsis, and the stiffness of the esophageal mucosa. During the treatment of digestive system diseases, especially tumors, barium meal examinations can also be compared to observe the dynamic changes in the onset of the tumor.

Barium meal radiography for digestive system examination has certain advantages over other examinations. First, it is less expensive and less painful than gastroscopy. Secondly, compared with simple X-ray examination, it has a certain purpose. It can accurately observe gastric lesions and make timely diagnosis. Finally, barium meal is not allergenic. For example, some people who are allergic to iodine cannot undergo enhanced CT examination, so they can consider barium meal examination. This shows that barium meal radiography has certain benefits in examining the digestive system.

As scientific inspection technology continues to upgrade, it will also bring great benefits to some people suffering from the disease. It can be understood that barium meal examination can not only find the location of the pathogen, but also diagnose the disease in time, so as to compare and examine the disease and achieve the purpose of treating the disease.