What is a Small Bowel Follow-Through
A small bowel follow-through (small bowel series) is a fluoroscopic examination of the small intestine. A small bowel series is sometimes combined with an upper GI Series, which includes the esophagus and stomach. The patient drinks a liquid suspension called barium sulfate, which outlines the anatomy of small bowel.
How do I prepare for the exam?
Specific instructions include nothing to eat or drink after midnight or at least eight hours before the exam. At the time of study, you will change into hospital gown. You will be asked to remove jewelry or objects that may interfere with the procedure.
What can I expect during the exam?
After you have changed, the technologist will walk you to the fluoroscopy suite. The technologist will then explain the procedure in detail. Preliminary X-rays may be taken.
The radiologist will check the preliminary X-rays, and then talk to you about medical history and discuss the indication of the examination. You will be asked to drink one cup of barium suspension initially, followed by another cup in 10 to 20 minutes. Multiple X-rays and spot images will be taken during the course of study. The exam takes about 60 to 120 minutes.
What are aftercare instructions?
Barium can be constipating, so it is important to drink plenty of fluids to wash the barium out of system. You can immediately resume your regular diet. Your stool may be whitish because of barium.
Radiologyinfo.org for Patients
The radiology information resource for patients. RadiologyInfo.org tells you how various X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, radiation therapy and other procedures are performed. It also addresses what you may experience and how to prepare for the exams. The website contains over 200 procedure, exam and disease descriptions covering diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy and radiation safety and is updated frequently with new information. All material on the RadiologyInfo.org website is reviewed and approved by experts in the field of radiology from the ACR and RSNA, as well as other professional radiology organizations.