Question

Case Study # 2 Positioning for the Gastrointestinal Examination Description >> Your patient has arrived for his UGI series and the procedure begins. The patient thoroughly dislikes the taste of barium. In fact, you have had to coax him to drink the little he has so far. You know how important barium is for this study. Halfway through the fluoroscopic examination, the radiologist tells you that the patient has hypermotility of the GI tract. You are to give your patient more barium before each exposure taken. The radiologist completes her portion of the examination, leaving the patient in the right anterior oblique (RAO) position on the radiographic table. As you begin to prepare for your overhead radiographs, the patient continues to complain about drinking barium. What do you do? Identify the following: Goal: Observation Options and consequences Selection of the best option: Options and consequences: Option 1 Take time to explain once again how important it is for the patient to drink barium. Explain to the patient he has the right to refuse the examination. Option 2 Turn patient to the left posterior oblique (LPO) position and quickly prepare the room. Have everything ready, including the barium. Explain to the patient that you are doing everything that you possibly can to have him drink the least amount of barium that will produce a successful study. Option 3 Give the patient a water-soluble iodinated contrast medium to drink. This does not have the same texture or taste as barium.

Answer 1

Goal - to make the patient understand the importance of having barium in this study .

Observation - the patient dislikes the taste of barium and does want to have it which is causing a hinderance in his examination .

Best Option - option 3

Give the patient a water -soluble iodinated contrast medium to drink . This does not have the same texture or taste as barium . It is :-

-radiopaque

-low viscosity

-low toxicity

-rapidly excreted by kidneys

-easily injected IV

-most triiodinated compounds