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What is fluoroscopy?
How does fluoroscopy
work?
For all fluoroscopic
examination, a special x-ray scanner is used to take images of the
body’s structures. This scanner sends the x-ray images to a monitor
which shows the pictures in real time, just as if you were watching a
video of the inside of your body.
What is arthrography?
Is there preparation
for arthrography?
What can I expect
during arthrography?
What is
arthrography?
Is
there preparation for arthrography?
No preparation is required if you are having arthrography.
What
can I expect during arthrography?
Next, you will be led
into an examination room and positioned on a table by one of our
registered radiologic technologists. Above the table, you will see a large
metal box. This box contains the x-ray tubes and fluoroscopic equipment
that will take the images of your body called arthrograms.
Before the arthrograms
are obtained, regular x-ray images are taken of the joint. The radiologist
will compare these images with the arthrograms. Next, a local anesthetic
will be injected to numb the area around the joint. Then fluid from the
joint will be removed with a syringe and replaced with contrast material
and/or air. Allergic reactions to contrast are rare, but if you experience
severe itching, burning, or nausea, tell the technologist immediately.
Several arthrograms will be taken before the joint can absorb the
contrast. Then more images are taken of the joint when it is in different
positions.
Arthographic procedures
usually take between 45 to 60 minutes. Following your procedure, the joint
that underwent arthrography should be rested for 12 hours. You may
experience some swelling or discomfort and hear cracking in the joint.
Icing the joint should help reduce these symptoms, which usually disappear
within two days.
Once all the arthrograms have been obtained, the radiologist will interpret the images. The findings will be sent in a report to your referring physician who will review these results with you and decide on a course of treatment.
What is a barium enema?
What is the preparation
like for a BE?
What can I expect
during my BE procedure?
Is
a barium enema safe?
What
is a barium enema?
A barium enema (BE) is an x-ray examination of the lower intestine or
colon and the rectum. A BE is typically performed on patients experiencing
abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or bleeding. Fluoroscopy is used
to capture moving images of the colon while it is functioning to see if
waste is moving normally through the lower gastrointestinal tract. BE is
also used to detect ulcers, polyps (tumors), cancer, or inflammatory bowel
disease.
What
is the preparation like for a BE?
Before your scheduled appointment, someone from our office will call you
to go over the preparation requirements for your BE. You will be
instructed to pick up a bowel prep kit from our office at least three days
before your examination. This kit will give you detailed instructions on
taking a laxative to cleanse the bowel, as well as directions on following
a diet of clear liquids such as tea, black coffee, and cola. Dairy
products should be avoided. The night before your BE, nothing should be
taken by mouth after
What
can I expect during my BE procedure?
Before your BE, you will be asked to change into an examination gown and
to remove any jewelry or other metal objects that might interfere with the
x-ray images. After changing, you will be brought into the fluoroscopy
room where you will be positioned on a table. A large, metal box that
houses the fluoroscopy equipment will be suspended above you. A
preliminary film may be taken to make sure that the bowel is clean enough
for the procedure.
Because the tissues of
the colon have similar densities, a contrast material called barium is
inserted into the colon with a small rectal tube. The barium coats the
inside of the colon which helps highlight the tissue and provides a
sharper image. After the radiologist has monitored the filling process, a
few still x-ray images may be taken for later comparison. Air may also be
pumped into the colon to inflate it. This helps the radiologist see the
details of the walls of the colon better. Next, a series of live x-ray
images will be taken of the colon. The technologist may ask you to change
positions several times throughout the procedure so that the radiologist
can see the intestine at various angles.
During the BE, you may
feel some discomfort or mild cramping. You may even feel that you need to
move your bowel. These sensations are completely normal, and are easily
tolerated by most patients. However,
if you feel that you are having trouble holding in the barium, please
alert the technologist.
After the necessary
images have been taken of the colon, most of the barium will be drawn back
out of your bowel. The technologist will direct you to a bathroom so that
you can expel the remaining barium and air. Some patients may be asked to
return to the fluoroscopy room for additional images, but most are allowed
to change back into their clothes at this point.
After your BE you will
most likely be allowed to return to a normal diet and resume all
medications. You should drink plenty of liquids. It is common for stool to
appear white for a few days after the procedure as the body continues to
expel the barium. Some patients experience constipation after a BE and may
need to take a laxative.
The images from your BE
will be interpreted by one of our board-certified radiologists. The
results will be reported to your referring physician who will then review
these findings with you.
Is
a barium enema safe?
A BE is a minimally invasive procedure that rarely has complications. In
these rare cases, some patients experience inflammation in the bowel when
barium leaks through an undetected perforation in the lining of the colon,
or they may experience barium impaction (an obstruction of the intestinal
tract).
In any x-ray procedure,
radiation exposure is a risk. However, with today’s fluoroscopy
machines, the procedures are fast and the x-rays are targeted to the area
of interest in a small beam, preventing scatter radiation to other parts
of the body. The amount of radiation received from a BE is the same amount
of radiation that the average person receives in approximately 16 months
from naturally occurring background radiation.
What is a barium swallow?
What is the
preparation like for a barium swallow?
What should I
expect during my barium swallow?
Is a barium swallow safe?
What
is a barium swallow?
A barium swallow, also called an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series, is a
study of the esophagus, stomach, and upper portion of the small intestine
using fluoroscopy and a contrast material called barium. Barium swallow
detects abnormalities such as ulcers, tumors, and hernias. This procedure
is usually performed on patients who have trouble swallowing and complain
of chest pain or acid reflux.
What
is the preparation like for a barium swallow?
Someone from our office will call you before your study to go over the
necessary preparation. Preparation usually involves fasting after
What
should I expect during my barium swallow?
Before your study, you will be asked to change into an examination gown
and to remove any jewelry or other metal objects that might interfere with
the x-ray images. After changing, you will be brought into the fluoroscopy
room where you will be positioned on a table. A large, metal box that
houses the fluoroscopy equipment will be suspended above you.
You will also be asked to
drink some barium. Barium is a contrast material that makes the tissue in
the intestine, esophagus, and stomach stand out on x-ray images. After
drinking the barium, you may be asked to swallow baking soda crystals.
These crystals create gas in the stomach, which improves the detail of the
images. The crystals may give you the urge to belch, but it is important
to hold in the gas for as long as possible. With the fluoroscopy
equipment, the radiologist will study how the barium travels from the
esophagus to the small intestine. The examination table may be tilted
during the study so that the upper GI tract can be viewed from different
angles. You will be asked to hold your breath during the study to prevent
blurring of the x-ray images caused by motion of the chest during
breathing. Once the barium has coated the upper GI tract, still x-rays
will be taken.
After the barium swallow
procedure is finished, you will be asked to wait while the radiologist
quickly reviews the films to make sure that more images are not needed. If
the images are adequate, you will be allowed to change into your clothes
and leave the office. Following the procedure, you will be able to eat a
regular diet and take oral medications. Bowel movements may appear gray or
white for 48 to 72 hours as the barium passes through the digestive tract.
You may also experience constipation, which can be treated with an
over-the-counter laxative.
After reviewing the
results of your study, the radiologist will send a report to your
referring physician who will discuss the results with you.
Is
a barium swallow safe?
In any x-ray procedure, radiation exposure is a risk. However, with
today’s fluoroscopy machines, the procedures are fast and the x-rays are
targeted to the area of interest in a small beam, preventing scatter
radiation to other parts of the body. The amount of radiation received
from a barium swallow is the same amount of radiation that the average
person receives in approximately 8 months from naturally occurring
background radiation.