0 a chemical, barium sulphate, that is swallowed by a person just before an X-ray is taken of their stomach and bowels, so that these organs can be seen clearly
It and barium have some uses in medicine, for example barium meals in radiographic imaging, whilst strontium compounds are employed in some toothpastes.
Barium meals are useful in the diagnosis of structural and motility abnormalities of the foregut.
There are two varieties of barium meal: single and double contrast meals.
Large gastric folds are readily detectable by either radiographic (barium meal) or endoscopic methods.
A barium meal usually takes less than an hour.
Yet what chaos there would be in the medical service if every patient who had a change in his bowel movement went to the doctor and demanded a barium meal.
I was appalled when he said that it could take up to six weeks to get the result of a barium meal test.
Apart from anything else, some of the people who take barium meal tests are very anxious about the results.
