Please report to Admitting 15 minutes before your
scheduled exam time.
PREP:
It is important for your stomach, upper GI tract,
and small bowel to be empty for this exam. You are not to smoke, eat, or
drink anything after midnight. You are also not to chew gum. If you
think you are pregnant, please tell your doctor. This procedure may be
harmful to the fetus.
PURPOSE:
The small bowel examination is an x-ray examination
of the intestinal tract from the stomach to where it ends at the colon.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
You will be asked to drink 2 cups of barium. After
you have finished drinking the barium, x-ray films will be taken about
every 15 minutes. This will continue until the barium has reached your
colon.
POST EXAM
INFORMATION: You will be given a stool
softener and asked to increase your water intake for the day. Your
physician will discuss
the results of this test with you.
TIME FRAME:
This procedure usually lasts 1 hour; however, it can
last several hours.
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