Article: Upper GI series

Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract Radiography - In medicine, an upper GI series consists of a series of X-ray images of the esophagus and stomach (the upper gastrointestinal, or GI, tract). The most common use for this medical testing is to look for signs of ulcers, acid reflux disease, uncontrollable vomiting, or unexplained blood in the stools.

Application

Preparation

When the patient needs to undertake an Upper GI, he or she is asked to take a fast on the previous day, depending on what the doctor wishes for the patient to take or what might be the need for this testing. Normally, the patient must avoid solid food for up to 8 hours prior to the appointment and avoid any type of consumable, including water, 3 hours prior to the testing.

Process

Once the patient is at the clinic, he or she changes into a medical outfit which allows the doctors to see the insides of the patient much easier. The patient changes into the clothes and then gets summoned into the X-ray room.

Once the patient is in the room, he or she is given two undesirable drinkables to help aid the doctors while they take X-rays inside the patient. The first drink is a very carbonated drink nicknamed "Fizzies", made from baking-soda crystals which expands the stomach, which causes gas to build in the stomach and giving the patient a desire to belch. The second drink is a contrast agent, typically a thick, chalky liquid containing a barium salt. (This test is sometimes called a barium swallow.) The barium outlines the stomach on the X-rays, helping the doctor find tumors or other abnormal areas.

After the patient has consumed a reasonable amount of these consumables, he or she asked to lay flat on a table and X-rays are taken of their insides. The doctors usually take a series of pictures with the patient in a number of different positions to capture different poses and views of the digestive system. Normally the patient needs to hold their breath to avoid the pictures from blurring and causing unneeded challenges in diagnosing the illness.

During the test, the doctor may pump air into the stomach to make features such as small tumors easier to see.

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