What is an Upper GI Series/Small Bowel Exam?
An upper GI series is an X-ray of the upper gastrointestinal area. It can be referred to as a barium swallow when the examination is performed for the pharynx or esophagus. This is a common procedure used to visualize the stomach and small intestines. The upper GI series can identify and locate ulcers, obstructions, polyps and other inflammatory diseases of the stomach and small intestine. An upper GI examination takes less than one hour. The small bowel examination immediately follows the upper GI to watch the flow of barium throughout the small intestine until it reaches your colon (large intestine). Time-delayed pictures are taken and reviewed by the radiologist. A small bowel examination can last from one to four hours.
