What Occurs in a Videofluoroscopic Evaluation of Swallowing?
If your physician has referred you to Speech-Language Pathology for a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) we will complete this study in the GI Radiology Department. The VFSS is a painless x-ray procedure, which examines the swallow system in order to assess the nature of the swallowing difficulty. Typically, a patient is given different types of food and liquid from a spoon, cup and /or straw, as if eating a meal. The foods involved may include applesauce, pudding, fruit cocktail, a graham cracker or a cookie. The food is coated with a small amount of barium. Each swallow is watched on a TV monitor while being recorded on videotape. The Speech-Language Pathologist will then identify problems in the swallowing process and make appropriate diet, swallowing strategies or referral recommendations to your physician. Common Questions: My family member is having difficulty swallowing liquids. A friend told us to “thicken” his liquids. What do you recommend? After a full swallow evaluation
