What is an Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series examination?
A noninvasive method of evaluating the upper intestinal tract is by swallowing a barium preparation and watching it fluoroscopically as it passes through the esophagus, stomach and small intestines. This allows assessment of both the movement or motility of the organs, as well as detail of their inner lining. The ingested barium is completely inert and will pass out with the stool after the examination. A laxative is prescribed after the study to facilitate elimination of the barium. To prepare for the study, one should not eat or drink after midnight prior to examination. Medications may be taken the morning of the study. Evaluation of the esophagus is performed in patients with difficulty swallowing and symptoms of heartburn and reflux. Images are obtained with video monitoring so that the swallowing mechanism can be examined in detail after the study. In addition to liquid barium, cookies coated with barium and barium tablets may be administered to obtain a real time assessment of h
