Interventional Radiology & Fluoroscopy
You have been asked to attend for a Contrast swallow assessment for your child. This is an assessment of their swallow and visualises their oesophagus, stomach and 1st part of their small bowel.
The procedure is a simple one and the information on this page will help you to prepare for the appointment.
If you are unable to attend, please contact us immediately to rearrange. This will allow us to use the appointment for another patient. Telephone: 01642 282639.
What is the examination for?
A contrast swallow uses x-rays to record a video of your swallowing in detail. The study allows us to see how you are currently managing to eat or drink.
Preparation for the examination
We would appreciate you bringing (where appropriate) the cup or bottle your child is comfortable drinking from. It is also important to bring some of the juice or milk (where appropriate), that your child enjoys drinking to give us the best chance of completing this test.
Please do not feed or give your child anything to eat or drink for 4 hours before the appointment time. This will make sure that the best results are obtained and the examination will not need to be repeated.
Please try to avoid any clothing with metal poppers or buttons at the top around the neck area.
Medication
Please do not stop taking any prescribed drugs.
What the test involves
Please register at the main x-ray reception when you arrive. You will be taken to the x-ray waiting area and met by the Health Care Professionals involved in your child’s examination.
The Health Care Professionals will support you and will ask for your child’s height and weight (it can help to have the red book for this information). You will stay with your child and if appropriate you will be feeding your child during the assessment.
A drink will be offered to your child that has been mixed (where appropriate) with a safe substance that is used to show up on the x-ray.
Your child will be safely positioned in either a supine position on the table or stood up against the table.
As each mouthful is being swallowed, a brief x-ray video is taken and recorded.
Where possible your child will be asked to roll into different positions in order to see all of the anatomy for the examination.
The procedure takes about 30 to 45 minutes. If you attend early there is no guarantee that you will be seen before your appointment time
After the examination
Your child can return to eating and drinking as normal. Please encourage your child to drink plenty as the barium may make your child constipated.
The results of the test
Your referring consultant will send you an appointment to attend a follow up clinic in order to receive your results.
Is there anything I should tell the staff?
For patients with ovaries, between the ages of 12 and 55, the x-ray department has a legal responsibility to ensure that this examination is performed within ten days of the first day of your menstrual period.
Please contact the x-ray department if you are pregnant or if this appointment is beyond the ten day requirement, and another appointment will be arranged for you.
If you have special needs or disabilities, please contact the x-ray department on 01642 282639.
What about transport to the hospital?
Transport has not been arranged for this appointment. If an ambulance is required, please contact your GP at least 48 hours before the appointment date. All car parks are pay and display.
Radiation dose and risk
X-rays use ionising radiation which can cause cell damage that may, after many years or decades, turn cancerous. The risk of this happening is very small compared to the normal lifetime risk of developing cancer which is 1 in 2. We are also all exposed to background radiation every day.
The risk of long-term effects is considered when the healthcare team decide whether someone needs an x-ray examination and radiation doses are kept as low as possible. For this examination radiation dose levels are typically equivalent to around 6 to 12 months of background radiation. The associated risk is less than 1 in 1000 – Low.
Contact us
If you require further information please contact us on:
Telephone: 01642 282639 (Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm)
Email: [email protected]
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]