Anatomy and Physiology

The Oxford Companion to the Body A Dictionary of Nursing Further reading

barium meal

The Oxford Companion to the Body | 2001 | | Copyright

barium meal Some compounds of barium are poisonous, but barium sulphate is a harmless, white, insoluble substance that can be made into a tasteless suspension which is ‘radio-opaque’. This can be swallowed as a ‘barium meal’ to aid diagnosis of disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract (a ‘barium enema’ is a similar suspension that is introduced into the large intestine through the rectum, for the investigation of disorders of the lower tract). The opaqueness of the material allows it to be visualized easily by X-ray as it passes down the oesophagus and through the stomach and upper intestine. The material will fill cavities caused by ulcers, and outline abnormal growths in the tract, thus giving visual information about dysfunction or disease of component parts, such as duodenal ulcer or stomach cancer.

E. M. (Tilli) Tansey

See imaging techniques; X-rays.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "barium meal." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "barium meal." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O128-bariummeal.html

COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "barium meal." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O128-bariummeal.html

Learn more about citation styles

barium meal

A Dictionary of Nursing | 2008 | Copyright

barium meal n. a technique for examining the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The patient swallows barium sulphate to coat the lining of the organs, and a series of X-rays is taken. Granules that produce gas to distend the stomach may be given to produce a double-contrast effect.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"barium meal." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"barium meal." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-bariummeal.html

"barium meal." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-bariummeal.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	60 SECONDS ON.. A BARIUM MEAL.(Features) Newspaper article from: The Mirror (London, England); 1/6/2011
	Perspective: Give your furry foes a barium meal to die for.(Features) Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 8/14/2002
	Barium plus food elicits GI symptoms on... Magazine article from: Internal Medicine News; 2/15/2007