Barium swallow, also known as an upper GI series or esophagram, is a series of pictures of the throat, esophagus, stomach and the duodenum. These pictures are taken by x-ray after you drink a liquid that is called barium sulfate. The liquid coats your throat, esophagus, stomach and duodenum. A barium swallow tests your ability to swallow and may be used to determine the cause of painful swallowing, difficulty with swallowing, abdominal pain, vomiting, or unexplained weight loss. This procedure is performed at a hospital or outpatient clinic.
Problems that can be detected with a barium swallow:
- Narrowing or irritation of the esophagus (Schatski’s ring)
- Disorders of swallowing (dysphagia – difficulty swallowing), spasms of the esophagus or pharynx
- Hiatal hernia (an internal problem that causes the stomach to slide partially into the chest)
- Abnormally enlarged veins in the esophagus (varices) that cause bleeding
- Ulcers
- Tumors or cancers
- Polyps (growths that are usually not cancerous, but develop into cancer)
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Esophageal strictures
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
References
National Institutes of Health-National Cancer Institute. n.d. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/barium-swallow
Cleveland Clinic. 2022. Esophagram. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22766-esophagram
