Dysphagia is term that describes difficulty in swallowing. When you visit your doctor with this symptom, there are a number of tests that will be performed to determine the diagnosis. A swallow study for dysphagia (also known as barium swallow) is one of the most useful. In this article, we look at how this test is performed and what information it conveys.
A detailed clinical history of your condition is usually needed before one can undergo the test. Some of the vital information includes the duration of time for which the condition has existed, whether problems are encountered with liquids, solids or both and whether or not the problem has worsened over time. General questions which may be of value in this case include the history of smoking or alcohol use and a positive history of weight loss.
In general, the barium meal test helps to examine the patency of the throat and the entire esophagus (food pipe). There are a number of problems that can be identified by studying the images generated. The easiest to identify is esophageal narrowing. This is a common feature of advanced esophageal cancer. Other conditions include ulcers within the mucosa, polyps and abnormally enlarged veins (varices) that cause bleeding.
A number of things have to be done as part of preparation. Reduce the content of fiber in the diet for about two to three days before you are tested. The last meal should be taken before midnight. As is custom for X-ray studies, you have to remove any jewelry that may be cast on the film and interfere with the results. The next step is to sign a written consent allowing the procedure to take place.
A compound known as barium sulfate is used for this test (hence the name). You will be asked to take a cup of the compound dissolved in water. After about half an hour, you will be exposed to X-rays to image the movement of the gas within the upper gastrointestinal tract. X-rays cannot penetrate this compound which means it creates a silhouette on the X-ray film. Lesions will appear either as projections into the esophageal cavity or wall.
The risks associated with this test are few and rare. Anaphylaxis is a rare occurrence but has been reported in a few cases. They tend to occur in persons that are allergic to the barium compound. If such a reaction is anticipated the patient should be subjected to an alternative test such as endoscopy. The other possible complications are constipation and aspiration.
Normally, after the procedure, one can continue with their normal diet except in cases where the doctor has recommended a change. For the first one to three days, your stools will be chalky white as your gut clears the barium sulfate from the system. Drink lots of water and increase the amount of fiber in your diet to prevent constipation. The next step will depend on the report from the radiologist.
Treatment is dependent on the kind of disease that has been diagnosed by the test. It is not uncommon to have a normal result of barium swallow if when symptoms appear to persist. Whenever this happens, more sensitive tests such as the MRI and endoscopy have to be used. When a lesion is seen, on the other hand, the doctor will either begin the treatment process or refer you to the relevant specialist.
A detailed clinical history of your condition is usually needed before one can undergo the test. Some of the vital information includes the duration of time for which the condition has existed, whether problems are encountered with liquids, solids or both and whether or not the problem has worsened over time. General questions which may be of value in this case include the history of smoking or alcohol use and a positive history of weight loss.
In general, the barium meal test helps to examine the patency of the throat and the entire esophagus (food pipe). There are a number of problems that can be identified by studying the images generated. The easiest to identify is esophageal narrowing. This is a common feature of advanced esophageal cancer. Other conditions include ulcers within the mucosa, polyps and abnormally enlarged veins (varices) that cause bleeding.
A number of things have to be done as part of preparation. Reduce the content of fiber in the diet for about two to three days before you are tested. The last meal should be taken before midnight. As is custom for X-ray studies, you have to remove any jewelry that may be cast on the film and interfere with the results. The next step is to sign a written consent allowing the procedure to take place.
A compound known as barium sulfate is used for this test (hence the name). You will be asked to take a cup of the compound dissolved in water. After about half an hour, you will be exposed to X-rays to image the movement of the gas within the upper gastrointestinal tract. X-rays cannot penetrate this compound which means it creates a silhouette on the X-ray film. Lesions will appear either as projections into the esophageal cavity or wall.
The risks associated with this test are few and rare. Anaphylaxis is a rare occurrence but has been reported in a few cases. They tend to occur in persons that are allergic to the barium compound. If such a reaction is anticipated the patient should be subjected to an alternative test such as endoscopy. The other possible complications are constipation and aspiration.
Normally, after the procedure, one can continue with their normal diet except in cases where the doctor has recommended a change. For the first one to three days, your stools will be chalky white as your gut clears the barium sulfate from the system. Drink lots of water and increase the amount of fiber in your diet to prevent constipation. The next step will depend on the report from the radiologist.
Treatment is dependent on the kind of disease that has been diagnosed by the test. It is not uncommon to have a normal result of barium swallow if when symptoms appear to persist. Whenever this happens, more sensitive tests such as the MRI and endoscopy have to be used. When a lesion is seen, on the other hand, the doctor will either begin the treatment process or refer you to the relevant specialist.
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