Where: |  | Report to Admitting. You should arrive at least 20 minutes before your appointment time in order to be registered. |
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Purpose : | | To perform a study of the small bowel. You will be asked to drink a quantity of barium sufficient to image your entire small bowel. |
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Preparation: | | If you are a woman of childbearing age and there is a chance you may be pregnant, please consult your physician before scheduling this exam. Medications can be taken prior to your test. Pills should be taken with just a small amount of water, early in the morning.
If you take insulin, you must consult your doctor about adjusting your dose. You should not take insulin if you are fasting for your exam. However you should bring your insulin with you so you can take it after the exam. Also, when making an appointment, tell the scheduler if you are diabetic and request an appointment time early in the day.
NO FOOD OR LIQUIDS are to be taken past midnight the night before the examination.
You will be asked to change into a hospital gown. A parent or guardian must accompany patients less than 18 years old. Please do not bring children with you to the appointment. Be sure that your doctor’s office has sent an x-ray request form to the department or that you bring one with you. |
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Procedure: | | The examination will be tailored to the symptoms that you are experiencing. The test may include the study of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. You will be asked to drink at least two cups of barium suspension.
X-ray images of the abdomen will be taken at 15-30 minute intervals to study the progress of barium through the small bowel. It may take as little as one hour or as long as four hours for the whole of the small bowel to be shown in this way. It is not possible to predict exactly how long the examination will take in an individual patient.
You may observe other patients who have arrived in the X-ray Department after you, completing their examinations and leaving the department while yours is still in progress. While this may be disconcerting, please understand that there is no way of shortening the time of your own examination without compromising its quality or accuracy.
The radiologist’s report of the results will be sent to your doctor. Your doctor will discuss the results of the test with you.  |
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After Care: | | Resume normal diet and drink plenty of water. For most patients with normal bowel habits, the passage of barium in the form of “white stools” will present no problem. All patients will be given a mild laxative.
You should resume your normal diet and drink plenty of fluids.
Please call (812) 254-8851 if you have additional questions. |
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Reviewed: | | 10/11/2007 |