Fletcher Allen, a Vermont university hospital and medical center, serves all of
Vermont and the northern New York region. Located in Burlington, Fletcher Allen is a regional, academic healthcare center and teaching hospital in alliance with the University of Vermont.
Barium Enema
A Barium Enema is an x-ray picture of your large intestines. Your large intestines are at the end of you GI Tract. Your GI tract starts with your mouth, then you have the esophagus, which connects your mouth to your stomach, from there you have the small intestines which are connected to your large intestine. Your large intestine ends in your rectum, which is your bottom end.
What to Expect
The technologist will come and show you to a room where you will take all of your clothes off, including your underpants, and change into a gown. Now, the Barium Enema is one of the hardest pictures to do because for two days before, you can only eat some foods that are on a special list.
It is also hard because Barium, which is a white liquid, will have to be put into your rectum, or your bottom. That might feel uncomfortable, or feel like you have to go to the bathroom.
Once that is done, the technologist will take an x-ray. An x-ray is a black and white picture taken using radiation. The x-ray machine is like a big camera attached to the wall that can move. The technologist will put the camera near you, but it will not touch you. Then the technologist will take the picture.
After the picture, you will be asked to go to the bathroom to try to get rid of some of the Barium (white stuff). Then they will take another x-ray picture without the Barium. After that, you can change and go home. But you might still see the Barium the next few times you use the bathroom. If you are scared, or have any questions, please ask the technologist or call Fletcher Allen Radiology at (802) 847-3593.
