Double-contrast barium enema
Encyclopedia
A double-contrast barium enema is a procedure in which x-rays of the colon
and rectum
are taken after a liquid containing barium
is put into the rectum. Barium is a silver-white metallic compound that outlines the colon and rectum on an x-ray
and helps show abnormalities. Air is put into the rectum and colon to further enhance the x-ray.
Colon (anatomy)
The colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a...
and rectum
Rectum
The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
are taken after a liquid containing barium
Barium
Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in Group 2, a soft silvery metallic alkaline earth metal. Barium is never found in nature in its pure form due to its reactivity with air. Its oxide is historically known as baryta but it reacts with...
is put into the rectum. Barium is a silver-white metallic compound that outlines the colon and rectum on an x-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
and helps show abnormalities. Air is put into the rectum and colon to further enhance the x-ray.
External links
- Double-contrast barium enema entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms