barium meal
barium meal Some compounds of barium are poisonous, but barium sulphate is a harmless, white, insoluble substance that can be made into a tasteless suspension which is ‘radio-opaque’. This can be swallowed as a ‘barium meal’ to aid diagnosis of disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract (a ‘barium enema’ is a similar suspension that is introduced into the large intestine through the rectum, for the investigation of disorders of the lower tract). The opaqueness of the material allows it to be visualized easily by X-ray as it passes down the oesophagus and through the stomach and upper intestine. The material will fill cavities caused by ulcers, and outline abnormal growths in the tract, thus giving visual information about dysfunction or disease of component parts, such as duodenal ulcer or stomach cancer.
See imaging techniques; X-rays.
E. M. (Tilli) Tansey
See imaging techniques; X-rays.
barium meal
barium meal n. a technique for examining the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The patient swallows barium sulphate to coat the lining of the organs, and a series of X-rays is taken. Granules that produce gas to distend the stomach may be given to produce a double-contrast effect.
More From encyclopedia.com
Chest X Ray , Definition
A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views o… Radiology , Radiology is a branch of medical science in which various forms of radiant energy are used to diagnose and treat disorders and diseases. For nearly 8… Imaging Studies , Definition
Imaging studies are tests performed with a variety of techniques that produce pictures of the inside of a patient's body. They have become… Scanning Technologies , █ LARRY GILMAN
X rays are electromagnetic waves in the 10-8 to 10-11 meter (3 × 1016 to 3 × 1019 Hz) range of the spectrum. (Alternatively, x rays ca… X-ray Astronomy , X-Ray Astronomy
At the high-energy end of the electromagnetic spectrum , x rays provide a unique window on some of the hottest and most violent objec… X Ray , X-rays are electromagnetic waves, like light waves, but with a wavelength about 1,000 times smaller. Because of this very short wavelength, X-rays ca…
About this article
barium meal
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
barium meal