What should I expect from a barium enema?
What to expect with a barium enema?
- The barium enema test will take around one hour to complete.
- You will be lying on your side on an X-ray table beneath an X-ray machine for your procedure.
- X-rays are taken, and you may be required to hold your breath for a few seconds at a time.
What are the risks of doing barium enema?
Rarely, complications of a barium enema exam may include:
- Inflammation in tissues surrounding the colon
- Obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract
- Tear in the colon wall
- Allergic reaction to barium
What type of Doctor can order a barium enema?
What type of Doctor can order a barium enema? Gastroenterologists therefore prescribe a barium enema to diagnose diseases and conditions associated with the large and small intestines, such as colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. A barium enema is usually done in your doctor’s office or the radiology department of a hospital.
How do you prepare for a barium enema?
You may need to do this again on the day of the test.
- Drink plenty of fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
- You will take a laxative. Your doctor will give you this to empty your intestines.
- You may be asked to do a water enema to clean your colon. ...
How do you do a double contrast barium enema?
6:178:13Barium Enema Double Contrast Fluoro --- Step by Step InstructionsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStep 27 image the rectum in the prone. Position. Step 28 image the rectum in the Aria. Position.MoreStep 27 image the rectum in the prone. Position. Step 28 image the rectum in the Aria. Position. Step 29 image the rectum in the lateral. Position.
Are you put to sleep for a barium enema?
The X-ray used in this procedure is known as fluoroscopy. It allows the radiologist to see your internal organs in motion by tracking the flow of the barium solution through your intestinal tract. The test doesn't require painkillers or sedation, but there may be moments of slight discomfort.
How is a barium enema test performed?
During the exam You'll begin the exam lying on your side on a specially designed table. An X-ray will be taken to make sure your colon is clean. Then a lubricated enema tube will be inserted into your rectum. A barium bag will be connected to the tube to deliver the barium solution into your colon.
Is barium enema test painful?
Having a barium enema may be a bit embarrassing and unpleasant, but it shouldn't be painful. You'll probably feel uncomfortable when the air is pumped into your bowel during the test, similar to the feeling of having trapped wind. You may have some bloating, wind or stomach cramps for a short while afterwards.
How long does it take to poop out barium?
Often, additional X-rays are made after the barium has been excreted from the bowel, which is usually one or more days after the procedure. After the procedure, a small amount of barium will be expelled from the body immediately.
What is the most common complication of a barium enema?
Barium enema is usually considered a safe investigation, and the most common serious complication is bowel perforation, which occurs in 0.004–0.04% of cases.
Can a barium enema make you sick?
After having a barium enema test, people may experience some cramping or diarrhea. As with the barium swallow, someone undergoing a barium enema may also have white stools the first few times they go to the toilet after the test.
Can you drive after a barium enema?
In most cases, you can drive yourself home after a barium enema. However, if you were given an antispasmodic injection, you may experience blurred vision for 30 to 60 minutes.
Is barium enema better than colonoscopy?
Barium enema generally is not as accurate as colonoscopy or virtual colonoscopy. Barium enema can miss (fail to detect) polyps or sometimes even cancers. Barium enema also has difficulty detecting colitis involving the superficial lining of the colon.
Is barium enema better than CT scan?
The researchers showed that CTC was more effective than barium enema at finding bowel cancers and precancerous polyps. Professor Steve Halligan of UCL, the joint-lead researcher, said: “Our trial shows that CTC is more accurate than barium enema.
What symptoms would lead a doctor to recommend a barium enema?
A barium enema is a special type of X-ray that takes images of your large intestine, which includes your colon, rectum and anus. Your healthcare provider may order this test if you have unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms or suspected disease in your large intestine.
How long does it take barium to reach the colon?
The duration of the examination is variable and essentially depends on the amount of time it takes for the barium to pass from the stomach to the colon (large intestine). Normally, this is approximately one to two hours, but in some patients it may take up to four hours and still be normal.
Can you drive yourself home after a barium enema?
In most cases, you can drive yourself home after a barium enema. However, if you were given an antispasmodic injection, you may experience blurred vision for 30 to 60 minutes.
Is the prep for a barium enema the same as a colonoscopy?
When colon lesions are suspected, barium enema as the first diagnostic procedure means that the patient must undergo a second bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy.
Can a barium enema make you sick?
After having a barium enema test, people may experience some cramping or diarrhea. As with the barium swallow, someone undergoing a barium enema may also have white stools the first few times they go to the toilet after the test.
What is the best patient position during insertion of barium enema tip?
The patient should be in the left lateral decubitus position at the beginning of the exam, with the knees bent, in preparation for placement of the rectal tube.
What is a Double Contrast Barium Enema?
A double contrast barium enema uses a silver-white compound called barium to outline the colon and rectum on an X-ray. Normally, soft tissues X-ray very poorly, but the barium coating reveals a clear outline of the colon.
Why “Double Contrast”?
The barium is inserted into the colon and then drained out, with only a thin layer of barium remaining on the colon wall. The colon is then filled with air to expand the colon and provide a more detailed view of the inner lining of the colon. This is called “double contrast” or “air contrast” barium enema.
What Happens During a Double Contrast Barium Enema?
You will then shift to your side. A rectal tube containing barium will be inserted into your anus, and the barium will slowly fill the intestine. The tube has a small balloon at the tip, and this balloon keeps the barium inside your colon. You may feel some abdominal cramping or feel an urge to have a bowel movement, but taking slow, deep breaths is helpful .
How does a radiologist check barium flow?
Your radiologist will observe the flow of barium on an X-ray fluoroscope monitor that looks similar to a television screen. Pressure may be applied to your abdomen to move the barium through the intestines. After the intestines have been filled, the barium will be drained and the colon will be filled with air.
What does a negative colonogram mean?
A negative result means that the radiologist observed no abnormalities in the colon. A positive result means that the radiologist found abnormalities in the colon that may require further testing. A problem could include: A narrowing in the bowel. Polyps or growths in the bowel.
What are the symptoms of barium enema?
A barium enema can also help evaluate abdominal symptoms such as pain, blood in the stool, anemia, persistent constipation or diarrhea, unexplained weight loss or altered bowel habits.
How long does barium stay in your colon?
The entire procedure lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, but you will only hold the barium inside your colon for about 10 to 15 minutes.
What is the difference between an X-ray and a barium enema?
Normally, an X-ray produces a poor image of soft tissues, but the barium coating results in a relatively clear silhouette of the colon. During a barium enema exam, air may be pumped into the colon. The air expands the colon and improves the quality of images. This is called an air-contrast (double-contrast) barium enema.
How to remove barium from colon?
After the exam, most of the barium will be removed from your colon through the enema tube. When the tube is removed, you'll be able to use the toilet to expel additional barium and air. Any abdominal cramping usually ends quickly, and you should be able to return to your usual diet and activities right away.
How does a balloon help your body?
When positioned at the entrance of your rectum, the balloon helps keep the barium inside your body. As your colon fills with barium, you may feel the urge to have a bowel movement. Abdominal cramping may occur. Do your best to hold the enema tube in place. To relax, take long, deep breaths.
How to relax a radiologist?
Do your best to hold the enema tube in place. To relax, take long, deep breaths . You may be asked to turn and hold various positions on the exam table. This helps ensure that your entire colon is coated with barium and enables the radiologist to view the colon from various angles.
How does a barium bag work?
A barium bag will be connected to the tube to deliver the barium solution into your colon. If you're having an air-contrast (double-contrast) barium enema, air will flow through the same tube and into your rectum. The tube that's used to deliver the barium has a small balloon near its tip.
What are the symptoms of barium enema?
In the past, your doctor may have recommended a barium enema to determine the cause of signs and symptoms, such as the following: Abdominal pain. Rectal bleeding. Changes in bowel habits. Unexplained weight loss.
What test is needed for X-rays?
Depending on the findings, you may need additional testing — such as a colonoscopy — so that any abnormalities can be examined more thoroughly, biopsied or removed. If your doctor is concerned about the quality of your X-ray images, he or she may recommend a repeat barium enema or another type of diagnostic test.
Will my insurance cover it?
Many plans cover it, so check with your policy holder. Medicare varies, as sometimes this procedure may be substituted for a colonoscopy. Check with Medicare.
Why do you need a barium enemas for colonoscopy?
Barium enemas are low risk and often less expensive than a colonoscopy. They are commonly used to diagnose colorectal cancer and inflammatory disease.
What are the complications of a colonoscopy?
Rare complications may include perforation of the colon, water intoxication, barium granulomas (inflamed nodules) and allergic reaction.
Why do doctors use rectal balloons?
Your doctor may also choose to use a rectal balloon to help retain the barium. As the barium fills the intestine, X-rays of the abdomen are taken to distinguish significant findings and help detect abnormal growths. Your doctor will take X-rays from several different angles to see your whole colon.
How long to drink water before barium enema?
Like a colonoscopy, this prep commonly includes restricted intake of dairy products and a liquid diet for 24 hours beforehand. You’ll also need to drink lots of water or clear liquids leading up to your barium enema.
What to do if your doctor sees something suspicious during a colonoscopy?
If your doctor sees something suspicious during this test, he or she may order a follow-up colorectal cancer screening test , such as a colonoscopy.
What are the advantages of colonoscopy?
Advantages. Done without sedation. Very low risk. Less expensive than a colonoscopy. Identifies lesions in the entire colon. Accurate for finding abnormalities, such as narrowed areas or pockets or sacs, in the intestinal wall. Can find cancer in earliest stage, when most treatable. Slight risk of perforation.
How long does a double contrast barium enema last?
Again, complete bowel preparation is essential for an optimal examination. Sedation is not used, and the procedure typically lasts about 20 to 40 minutes. Patients generally experience mild to moderate discomfort during and after the procedure. The DCBE was first adopted as a recognized CRC screening option by the ACS in 1997 and continues to be included on the recently updated guidelines. 1 The DCBE was designated as a covered Medicare benefit in 1997.
What is DCBE sensitivity?
Double-contrast barium enemas (DCBEs) have a sensitivity of 50% to 80% for polyps less than 1 cm and of 70% to 90% for polyps greater than 1 cm. Because it allows visualization of the remaining colon, it has been a useful adjunct to sigmoidoscopy. DCBEs and flexible sigmoidoscopy have been demonstrated to have a 98% sensitivity for carcinomas. The drawback of radiologic examination is that it does not allow for tissue diagnosis via biopsy or therapy as with an endoscopic polypectomy. If an abnormality is detected in the right colon on barium enema, a colonoscopy is still necessary. Therefore, the role of the DCBE is as an adjunctive tool in patients for those patients for whom colonoscopy is inaccessible, incomplete, refused, or intolerable.
What is CT exam?
CT is the exam of choice for evaluating local invasion and nodal involvement of neoplasms, colonic inflammatory conditions, the mesenteric vasculature, and pericolonic soft tissues. IV contrast medium is very useful to diagnose various ischemic and infectious/inflammatory conditions. Administration of "positive" rectal contrast medium may be useful, especially to diagnose colonic fistulas.
What is virtual colonoscopy?
A newer technique is “virtual colonoscopy,” in which helical computed tomographic (CT) scanning followed by three-dimensional reconstruction can produce high-resolution colonic imaging. At the moment, bowel preparation is still needed, as with colonoscopy, although techniques using special markers to differentiate stool from mucosal abnormalities are in evolution so that bowel preparation may not be necessary. This technique is quite sensitive for lesions greater than 1 cm, with advancing discrimination of smaller lesions on the horizon. Although it is associated with few risks, this technique has the disadvantages of limited accessibility, radiation exposure, lack of tissue diagnosis or therapeutic possibilities, and few practitioners having the expertise necessary to interpret the results. Cost is also a concern because any patient with an abnormality still requires a colonoscopy. However, the greatest advantage may be for screening, because current health care providers are overwhelmed with the screening of patients with few risk factors. As technology improves, virtual colonoscopy may be used to screen low-risk individuals, thereby reserving colonoscopies only for those who have suspicious findings.
What is DCBE in a colon?
A DCBE involves covering the mucosal surface of the colorectum with high-density barium, inflating the colon with air using a flexible catheter, and visualizing the colorectal mucosal profile using X-rays.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of DCBE?
The advantages of DCBE is that it provides screening for the whole colon and is relatively safe, with a perforation rate of 1 in 25,000 and an associated mortality rate of 1 in 250,000, 68 compared with 1 in 1000 patients undergoing colonoscopy. 69 The disadvantages of DCBE include need for rigorous bowel preparation, discomfort during the procedure, and operator and reader dependency on interpretation of results.
How long does a bowel exam last?
Again, complete bowel preparation is essential for an optimal examination. Sedation is not used, and the procedure typically lasts about 20 to 40 minutes. Patients generally experience mild to moderate discomfort during and after the procedure.
What is a barium enema?
A barium enema is a radiographic (X-ray) examination of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The large intestine, including the rectum, is made visible on X-ray film by filling the colon with a liquid suspension called barium sulfate (barium). Barium highlights certain areas in the body to create a clearer picture.
Why is barium used with X-rays?
Barium is a dry, white, chalky, powder that is mixed with water to make barium liquid. Barium is an X-ray absorber and appears white on X-ray film. When instilled via the rectum, barium coats the inside wall of the large intestine. This allows for visualization of the inner wall lining, as well as the size, shape, contour, and patency of the colon. This process shows differences that might not be seen on standard X-rays. Barium is used only for diagnostic studies of the GI tract.
How do I prepare for a barium enema?
PRECAUTIONS: If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your doctor. Notify the radiologist if you've had a recent barium swallow or upper GI procedure, as this may interfere with obtaining an optimal X-ray exposure of the lower GI area.
What happens after a barium enema?
Following the examination, some barium will be expelled immediately. You'll be assisted to the bathroom or given a bedpan.
What is fluoroscopy used for?
Fluoroscopy is often used during a barium enema. Fluoroscopy is a study of moving body structures — similar to an X-ray "movie.". A continuous X-ray beam is passed through the body part being examined, and is transmitted to a TV-like monitor so that the body part and its motion can be seen in detail. In a barium enema, fluoroscopy allows the ...
How long to wait to take bisacodyl?
Use one bisacodyl rectal suppository 90 minutes prior to leave home for your test. A bowel movement should occur within 30 minutes. Bisacodyl suppositories are available at any pharmacy.
Why do doctors recommend barium enema?
Unexplained weight loss. Irritable bowel syndrome. Changes in bowel movements. Such as chronic diarrhea or constipation, or passing of blood, mucus, and/or pus. There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend a barium enema.
Overview
Why It's Done
- In the past, doctors used barium enema to investigate the cause of abdominal symptoms. But this test has mostly been replaced by newer imaging tests that are more accurate, such as CTscans. In the past, your doctor may have recommended a barium enema to determine the cause of signs and symptoms, such as the following: 1. Abdominal pain 2. Rectal bleeding 3. Changes in bowel …
Risks
- A barium enema exam poses few risks. Rarely, complications of a barium enema exam may include: 1. Inflammation in tissues surrounding the colon 2. Obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract 3. Tear in the colon wall 4. Allergic reaction to barium Barium enema exams generally aren't done during pregnancy because X-rays present a risk to the developing fetus.
How You Prepare
- Before a barium enema exam, you'll be instructed to empty your colon. Any residue in your colon may obscure the X-ray images or be mistaken for an abnormality. To empty your colon, you may be asked to: 1. Follow a special diet the day before the exam.You may be asked not to eat and to drink only clear liquids — such as water, tea or coffee without milk or cream, broth, and clear car…
What You Can Expect
- During the exam
During your barium enema, you'll wear a gown and be asked to remove eyewear, jewelry or removable dental devices. The exam will be performed by a radiology technician and a physician who specializes in diagnostic imaging (radiologist). You'll begin the exam lying on your side on … - After the exam
After the exam, most of the barium will be removed from your colon through the enema tube. When the tube is removed, you'll be able to use the toilet to expel additional barium and air. Any abdominal cramping usually ends quickly, and you should be able to return to your usual diet an…
Results
- The radiologist prepares a report based on the results of the examination and sends it to your doctor. Your doctor will discuss the results with you, as well as subsequent tests or treatments that may be required: 1. Negative result.A barium enema exam is considered negative if the radiologist detects no abnormalities in the colon. 2. Positive result.A barium enema exam is con…
Advantages
Disadvantages
- Polyps cannot be removed during the procedure — you will need to get a colonoscopy if abnormalities are spotted on X-rays
- Requires laxative preparation
- Some may find the test uncomfortable
- Availability is decreasing; usually only for those who cannot undergo colonoscopy
Will My Insurance Cover It?
- Many plans cover it, so check with your policy holder. Medicare varies, as sometimes this procedure may be substituted for a colonoscopy. Check with Medicare.
The Facts
- The Double-Contrast Barium Enema (also called DCBE or barium enema) uses X-rays to find abnormal growths in the colon. Barium, a silver-white metallic compound, is used to outline the colon and rectum on the X-ray. Air is then passed through the same tube to further enhance the X-ray. Barium enemas are low risk and often less expensive than a colon...
The Prep
- In order to conduct the most accurate barium enema test, you will need to follow a prescribed diet and bowel prep before the test. Like a colonoscopy, this prep commonly includes restricted intake of dairy products and a liquid diet for 24 hours beforehand. You’ll also need to drink lots of water or clear liquids leading up to your barium enema.
The Procedure
- To begin a barium enema, your doctor will have you lie on your back on a tilting table so you can easily have X-rays taken of your abdomen. Then, you’ll be asked to lie on your side. At that point, a well-lubricated rectal tube is inserted through the anus. This tube allows your doctor to slowly administer the barium into the rectum and colon. Your doctor may also choose to use a rectal b…
The Big 'What If…'
- If your doctor sees something suspicious during this test, he or she may order a follow-up colorectal cancer screening test, such as a colonoscopy.
After The Test
- While a barium enema is considered a safe screening test and is used on a routine basis, it can cause complications in certain people. Please keep these indications in mind before a barium enema is performed: Those who have a rapid heart rate, severe ulcerative colitis, toxic megacolon or a presumed perforation in the intestine should not undergo a barium enema. The test can be …