Upper GI series, also upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract radiography, is a radiologic

Radiology

Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...

 examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract. It consists of a series of 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...

 images of the esophagus

Esophagus

The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...

, stomach

Stomach

The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...

 and duodenum

Duodenum

The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms anterior intestine or proximal intestine may be used instead of duodenum...

. The most common use for this medical testing is to look for signs of ulcers

Peptic ulcer

A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...

, acid reflux disease, uncontrollable vomiting

Vomiting

Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...

, or unexplained blood in the stools (hematochezia

Hematochezia

Hematochezia is the passage of fresh blood per anus, usually in or with stools . Hematochezia is commonly associated with lower gastrointestinal bleeding, but may also occur from a brisk upper GI bleed...

 or positive fecal occult blood

Fecal occult blood

Fecal occult blood refers to blood in the feces that is not visibly apparent. A fecal occult blood test checks for hidden blood in the stool...

).

Preparation

When the patient needs to undertake an upper GI, he or she is asked to take a fast on the previous day, depending on what the doctor wishes the patient to take or what might be the needed for this testing. Normally, the patient must avoid solid food for up to eight hours prior to the appointment and avoid any type of consumable, including water, three hours prior to the testing.

Process

This is a non-invasive test, consisting of an X-ray. In the X-ray room, the patient is given two medications to drink that help improve the quality of the resulting X-rays. The patient may also be administered glucagon

Glucagon

Glucagon, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, raises blood glucose levels. Its effect is opposite that of insulin, which lowers blood glucose levels. The pancreas releases glucagon when blood sugar levels fall too low. Glucagon causes the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose, which is...

, a pancreatic hormone that is injected intravenously. The first drink is very carbonated, made from baking-soda crystals which expands the stomach

Stomach

The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...

 by causing gas to build in the stomach. The second drink is a contrast agent, typically a thick, chalky liquid containing a 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...

 salt. (This test is sometimes called a barium swallow.) The barium outlines the stomach on the X-rays, helping the doctor find tumors or other abnormal areas.

The patient then has X-rays taken. The doctors usually take a series of pictures with the patient in a number of different positions to capture different poses and views of the digestive system. Normally the patient needs to hold their breath to avoid the pictures from blurring and causing unneeded challenges in diagnosing the illness.

During the test, the doctor may pump air into the stomach to make features such as small tumors easier to see.

After the test

Patients may feel nauseated immediately after drinking the barium. This is common and may last up to 72 hours following the test. Patients may eat as normal after the procedure but it is important to drink a lot of water to allow the barium to pass through the body more easily. Constipation is common but diarrhea will affect some patients. Another common side effect is the bleaching of solid waste matter; this may last up to 48 hours.

See also

• Small bowel series
• Upper GI bleed