What happens when the test is performed?
- You wear a hospital gown for the test. At the start of the
test, you drink barium, a liquid that looks like a milkshake
but does not taste nearly as good (most patients say it tastes
like chalk). You might also be asked to swallow some tablets
that "fizz," causing air-bubbles to be released in your stomach.
This might make you feel like burping, but try not to. You will
get better pictures if you can keep yourself from burping.
The x-ray technician may ask you to stand or lie in different
positions over the next few minutes, to help spread around the
liquid you have swallowed. Most often, the x-ray pictures are
taken while you lie on your back on a table. The x-ray machine
or the table is moved a few times so it can take pictures of
all of the internal structures. You are asked to hold your breath
for each picture so that your breathing movement does not blur