Barium Enema
A former-patient has kindly given an account of their experience when they visited the Barium Enema room.
Purpose of the Examination:
Following a full course of radiotherapy I was left with a minor problem of an occasional trace of blood from my rectum. To establish the cause I was given an appointment for a barium enema.
Experience:
I had been sent a leaflet explaining what I had to do and what would happen. This principally concerned my taking a strong laxative, picolax, on the day before. The laxative was so effective there would have been very little chance of going out during the 30 hours prior to the examination.
On arrival in the radiology department, I was asked to undress and put on a surgical gown and dressing gown. My clothes were put in a basket and I had to carry them into the examination room. I laid on the x-ray couch and momentarily lying on my side the radiographer inserted a small tube into my rectum through which the barium fluid could be inserted into my bowel.
A radiologist remained in the room throughout operating the x-ray head and looking at the image on a TV monitor. Several times the radiographer pumped a further small quantity of fluid into my rectum, enabling additional images to be displayed after each stage. I asked if I could see these images and the radiologist kindly obliged by suitable positioning of the monitor. After some time I was advised that some air would be blown additionally into my bowel, so making it feel slightly bloated. I was asked to lie on my sides in turn to enable further images to be taken. Towards the end of the examination, while lying on my back, the couch was tilted at steep angles with first my head being very low followed about a minute later with my head being raised. All the while additional images were being taken. I was warned in advance that this makes some people temporarily a little dizzy. Indeed I did faint for a few seconds.
On completion I visited the toilet and got dressed. I asked the radiologist if he had seen anything of concern, and he said the images would have to be studied later when a report would be prepared and sent to the referring consultant within the next couple of weeks. However, he said he hadn't noticed anything to worry about so far, but he couldn't be sure.
Duration:
The whole time spent in department lasted about three quarters of an hour.
Side effects:
The laxative was powerful and I had to be near a toilet for the 30 hours prior to the examination. As for the examination itself, apart from the momentary fainting, I felt only a slight discomfort in my bowel and after a cup of tea was quite back to normal and drove home.