Test Overview
An upper
gastrointestinal (UGI) series looks at the upper and middle sections of the
gastrointestinal tract. The test uses
barium contrast material,
fluoroscopy, and
X-ray. Before the test, you drink a mix of barium
(barium contrast material) and water. The barium is often combined with
gas-making crystals. Your doctor watches the movement of the barium through
your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum) on a video screen. Several X-ray pictures
are taken at different times and from different views.
A small
bowel follow-through may be done immediately after a UGI to look at the rest of
the small intestine. If just the throat and esophagus are looked at, it is
called an esophagram (or barium swallow).
Upper endoscopy is done instead of a UGI
in certain cases. Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look at
the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine
(duodenum).
Why It Is Done
An upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series
is done to:
- Find the cause of gastrointestinal symptoms,
such as trouble swallowing, vomiting, burping up food, belly pain (including
a burning or gnawing pain in the center of the stomach), or indigestion.
- Find narrow spots
(strictures) in the upper intestinal tract,
ulcers, tumors,
polyps, or
pyloric stenosis.
- Find inflamed areas of
the intestine,
malabsorption syndrome, or problems with the squeezing
motion that moves food through the intestines (motility
disorders).
- Find swallowed objects.
Generally, a UGI series is not used if you do not have
symptoms of a gastrointestinal problem. A UGI series is done most often for people who have:
- A hard time swallowing.
- A possible blocked
intestine (obstruction).
- Belly pain that is relieved or gets worse while eating.
- Severe heartburn or heartburn that occurs often.
How To Prepare
Tell your doctor if you:
- Are taking any medicine.
- Are
allergic to any medicines, barium, or any other X-ray contrast
material.
- Are or might be pregnant. This test is not done during
pregnancy because of the risk of radiation to the developing baby (fetus).
You may be asked to eat a low-fiber diet for 2 or 3 days
before the test. You may also be asked to stop eating for 12 hours before the
test. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking certain medicines
before the test.
The evening before the test, you may be asked to
take a laxative to help clean out your intestines. If your stomach can't empty
well on its own, you may have a special tube put through your nose and down
into your stomach just before the test begins. A gentle suction on the tube
will drain the stomach contents.
If you are having the small bowel
follow-through after the UGI series, you will need to wait between X-rays. The
entire small bowel follow-through exam takes up to 6 hours, so bring along a
book to read or some other quiet activity.
You may be asked to
sign a consent form.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding
the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will
mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the
medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).
How It Is Done
A UGI series is usually done in a clinic or the X-ray department of a hospital. You do not need to
stay overnight in the hospital. The test is done by a
radiologist and a radiology technologist.
Before the test
You will need to take off your clothes and put on a hospital gown. You
will need to take out any dentures and take off any jewelry. You may not smoke
or chew gum during the test, since the stomach will respond by making more
gastric juices and this will slow the movement of the barium through the
intestines.
You will lie on your back on an X-ray table. The table
is tilted to bring you to an upright position with the X-ray machine in front
of you. Straps may be used to keep you safely on the table. The technologist
will make sure you are comfortable during changes in table position.
During the test
You will have one X-ray taken before you drink the barium mix. Then you
will take small swallows repeatedly during the series of X-rays that follow.
The radiologist will tell you when and how much to drink. By the end of the
test, you may have swallowed
1 cup (240 mL) to
2.5 cup (600 mL) of the barium
mixture.
The radiologist watches the barium pass
through your gastrointestinal tract using fluoroscopy and X-ray pictures. The
table is tilted at different positions and you may change positions to help
spread the barium. Some gentle pressure is put on your belly with a belt or by
the technologist's gloved hand. You may be asked to cough so that the
radiologist can see how that changes the barium flow.
If you are having an air-contrast study, you will
sip the barium liquid through a straw with a hole in it or take pills that make
gas in your stomach. The air or gas that you take in helps show the lining of
the stomach and intestines in greater detail.
If you are also
having a small bowel study, the radiologist watches as the barium passes
through your small intestine into your large intestine. X-ray pictures are
taken every 30 minutes.
The UGI series takes 30 to 40 minutes. The UGI
series with a small bowel study takes 2 to 6 hours. In some cases, you may be
asked to return after 24 hours to have more X-ray pictures taken.
After the test
When the UGI series is done, you may eat and drink whatever you like,
unless your doctor tells you not to.
You may be given a laxative
or
enema to flush the barium out of your intestines after
the test to prevent constipation. Drink a lot of fluids for a few days to flush
out the barium.
How It Feels
The barium liquid is thick and chalky,
and some people find it hard to swallow. A sweet flavor, like chocolate or
strawberry, is used to make it easier to drink. Some people do not like it when
the X-ray table tilts. You may find that pressure on your belly is
uncomfortable. After the test, many people feel bloated and a little
nauseated.
For 1 to 3 days after the test, your stool (feces) will
look white from the barium. Call your doctor if you are not able to have a
bowel movement in 2 to 3 days after the test. If the barium stays in your
intestine, it can harden and cause a blockage. If you become constipated, you
may need to use a laxative to pass a stool.
Risks
Barium does not move into the blood, so
allergic reactions are very rare.
Some
people gag while drinking the barium fluid. In rare cases, a person may choke
and inhale (aspirate) some of the liquid into the lungs.
There is
a small chance that the barium will block the intestine or leak into the belly
through a perforated ulcer. A special type of contrast material (Gastrografin)
can be used if you have a blockage or an ulcer.
There is always a
small chance of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any radiation,
even the low level of radiation used for this test.
Results
An upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series
looks at the upper and middle sections of the
gastrointestinal tract. Results are usually ready in 1
to 3 days.
Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series| Normal: | The esophagus, stomach, and small intestine
all look normal. |
|---|
| Abnormal: | A narrowing (stricture), inflammation, a
mass, a
hiatal hernia, or enlarged veins (varices) may be
seen. Spasms of the esophagus or a backward flow (reflux) of barium from the
stomach may occur. |
|---|
The UGI series may show a stomach (gastric)
or intestinal (duodenal)
ulcer, a tumor, or something pushing on the intestines
from outside the gastrointestinal tract. Narrowing of the opening between the
stomach and the small intestine (pyloric stenosis) may be seen. |
The small bowel follow-through may show
inflammation or changes in the lining that may explain poor absorption of food.
This may be caused by
Crohn's disease or
celiac disease. |
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to
have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
- Eating before or during the
test.
- Too much air in the small intestine.
What To Think About
- A gastrointestinal (GI) motility study may be
done if the squeezing motions of the small intestine are not normal during the
UGI series and small bowel follow-through. The movement of the barium through
the lower intestinal tract is recorded every few hours for up to 24 hours. A
barium enema or
colonoscopy may be needed to confirm the
diagnosis.
- Upper endoscopy is done instead of a UGI test in
certain cases. Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look at the
lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine (duodenum). To learn more, see the medical test
Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
- The UGI
series test:
- May not show irritation of the stomach
lining (gastritis) or esophagus (esophagitis) or ulcers that are smaller than
about 0.25 in. (6 mm) in
diameter.
- Cannot show an infection with the bacteria
Helicobacter pylori, which may
be a cause of stomach ulcers.
- A
biopsy cannot be done during the UGI if a problem is
found.
References
Other Works Consulted
- Chernecky CC, Berger BJ (2008). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th ed. St. Louis: Saunders.
- Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerJerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
Current as ofOctober 14, 2016