What is it used for?
A barium swallow is used to help diagnose conditions that affect the throat, esophagus, stomach, and first part the small intestine. These include:
Ulcers
Hiatal hernia, a condition in which part of your stomach pushes into the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the muscle between your stomach and chest.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), a condition in which contents of the stomach leak backward into the esophagus
Structural problems in the GI tract, such as polyps (abnormal growths) and diverticula (pouches in the intestinal wall)
Tumors
