Fluoroscopy

Fluoroscopy is a type of medical imaging that shows a continuous x-ray image on a monitor, much like an x-ray movie. It is used to diagnose or treat patients by displaying the movement of a body part or of an instrument or dye (contrast agent) through the body.

During a fluoroscopy procedure, an x-ray beam is passed through the body. The image is transmitted to a monitor so that the body part and its motion can be seen in detail. It’s a procedure used for:

• Diagnosing abnormalities in the GI tract
• Visualizing blood flow to the organs
• Assessing fractures

UMIH offers a broad variety of fluoroscopy procedures.

Upper GI

The upper GI is an excellent test for the evaluation of the esophagus, stomach, and the first portion of the small intestine. A patient should not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the upper GI examination. A series of x-rays will be taken while you are swallowing contrast material and in a number of different positions while lying on an x-ray table. The upper GI examination is painless exam. Some patients may experience a full feeling after drinking the GI contrast material and the effervescent crystals that distend the esophagus and stomach for better visualization. Radiologists and x-ray technologists will assist you if you have difficulty with mobility. The upper GI examination is an excellent study for the evaluation of the swallowing mechanism, the esophagus, stomach, and the small intestine. The examination is excellent for both functional information and anatomic display.

Barium enema

The barium enema is a very safe way of looking for narrowing, masses, inflammation, polyps, or diverticula in your rectum and colon. The barium enema is a series of pictures of your large bowel also called your colon. We make these pictures by placing barium through a tube into your rectum and colon. Before the test, we will give you special instructions and medicines to clean out your colon. This should make you have several bowel movements the day and night before your exam. The morning of your exam, the technologist will assist you in changing into a gown. Then the technologist will help you onto the table and gently place a small soft tube into your rectum. The doctor will begin the exam by placing barium into your colon. As barium is placed into the colon, you may feel like you really need to have a bowel movement. Taking slow deep breaths will help make you feel better. Once the barium coats almost all of the colon, the doctor will drain most of the barium out and instill some air through the same tube. The radiologist and technologist will then take pictures of your colon and allow you to use the bathroom. Most patients tolerate this test very well.

IVP

An IVP stands for IntraVenous Pyelogram. This is a test to study the urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder). It is particularly good at looking for obstruction caused by kidney stones. The night before your exam, you will be asked to take a preparation to clean out your colon.

The morning of your exam, an IV will be placed in your arm. The technologist will ask you a series of questions to determine if you have had previous allergies to the x-ray contrast material used in IVPs. If you have had a previous reaction then we may need to give you some medicine (prednisone or benadryl) before we proceed.

The technologist or radiologist will then inject about three ounces of x-ray dye into the IV and start taking pictures of your kidneys, ureters and bladder. If there is an obstruction you may need to remain in the department for delayed films. There is a small risk of allergic reaction to the contrast material that is injected. Most problems that occur because of contrast injection are minor and do not require any special treatment. Very rarely there is a complication known as anaphylaxis from contrast injection which requires immediate lifesaving treatment. Most often, patients experience no difficulties during the test and are free to resume all activity immediately after the test is over.