The use of adjuvants in barium suspensions for contrast studies of upper gastrointestinal track

Abstract

This investigation was carried out to determine the type and quantity of adjuvants could be added to ordinary barium sulphate used in our X-ray department at the Kenyatta National Hospital, with a view to improving its physicochemical qualities and ability to reveal detail. A double-contrast upper gastrointestinal study was done in thirty five patients with the modified barium suspension and fifteen were with a proprietary high-density preparation as a control. Though its performance cannot be said to match the reference product, the product was found to be versatile, stable in the presence of gastric secretions and was easy and cheap to prepare. It is hoped that this limi ted study will spur further interest in the adaptation of ordinary barium for gastrointestinal imagining in its entirety. Moreover, a larger survey by different workers with differing familiarity and experience with air contrast studies, as well as colleagues in training would result in more critical evaluation of

the barium suspensions. It is hoped that this will be facilitated by more equipment reliability as well as strict quality assurance than was the case in the course of this study.