A Barium Follow-Through

What is a barium follow-through?

• With a barium follow through, you drink a barium liquid which will show up on an X-ray and help us find out what's causing your symptoms
• We take X-rays at intervals as the liquid passes through the small bowel

Who will I see?

• A consultant radiologist (a doctor who specialises in X-ray procedures) and a radiographer will carry out the examination

Is it safe?

• As with any X-ray, there's always a risk but it's considered to be low for this procedure
• If you're pregnant or you think you may be pregnant, you should tell the radiology department before your X-ray
• Please let the radiology department know if you've had a similar X-ray within the last six months

Do I need an injection?

• No, you'll not need an injection

Before the scan

• We'll send you laxative tablets before your appointment which you must take as directed. This is because your bowel needs to be empty for the test to work
• You must not eat anything for eight hours before your appointment, although you can drink water
• If you're diabetic, please contact the radiology department for advice
• You should let us know about any special needs you have - for example, if you need wheelchair access, you're hard of hearing or if you have poor eyesight

What happens during my appointment?

• When you arrive you should go to the reception desk - please bring your appointment letter which may have details of who to ask for
• The radiographer or another member of staff will meet you and explain the procedure to you
• We'll ask you to change into a hospital gown
• We'll put your clothes and any personal items, such as jewellery, in a locker or a tray that you can keep with you
• When you're in the X-ray room we'll ask you to drink around one litre (one and three-quarter pints) of barium liquid
• We'll take X-rays at intervals to check the progress of the barium as it goes through your stomach and along your small bowel

Will it be uncomfortable?

• The examination is painless, but you may feel bloated and lose your appetite afterwards due to the barium
• This feeling will soon pass as the barium works its way through your system

How long will it take?

• The amount of time this test takes varies from person to person, and depends upon how quickly the liquid moves through your system
• Typically, you should allow four hours for your appointment

After the examination

• You should drink at least eight glasses of non-alcoholic fluid over the 24-hour period after your examination. This will help to prevent constipation
• You can eat and drink normally after your examination
• You can drive home afterwards and return to work if you need to

Are there any side effects?

• Your faeces (bowel movements) are likely to be white-greyish in colour for a couple of days
• You may also notice the need to urinate more often as barium is water-based

When will I get the results?

• One of our radiologists will speak to your doctor or consultant and decide the right course of treatment
• We'll keep your details confidential
• If you doctor, consultant or our radiologist thinks you should have any extra examinations, we'll arrange this for you

Can I bring a relative or friend?

• Yes, but they'll only be allowed to go into the examination room in special circumstances - this is for safety reasons
• Children won't be allowed into the room while you're having the examination so you need to make arrangements for them before your appointment

 

Learn more

• What is an x-ray? - find out here
• What is a "barium swallow"? - find out here
• AMTV: Patient Channel - browse our patient video gallery here
• Scan Dictionary - an A-Z of common terms
• Find your location - find your location here
• Arrange a scan - if you'd like to arrange a scan for yourself, find out more here
• Got a question, query or concern? Just contact us, we'd be delighted to help