Small bowel follow through

  • Patient preparation: NPO for 4 hours
  • Contrast used: barium, dilute contrast using 2 parts contrast : 1 part sodium chloride if < 1 year old or 1 part tap water if > 1 year old
  • Technique: do upper GI first, then give second cup of contrast to drink
  • Images to obtain: AP image after finishing second cup of contrast, AP image every 30 minutes until contrast reaches the colon, spot images of terminal ileum
  • Looking for: strictures / narrowing, obstruction, polyps, inflammatory changes, entero-entero fistula
  • Post procedure tasks: advise patient to drink plenty of liquids to wash barium out of system and that barium will lighten color of stools