A barium swallow is a type of test used to look inside the esophagus, or food pipe. A doctor might recommend this test if they need to look at the outline of any part of a person’s digestive system.

More than half a million children are diagnosed with swallowing problems each year. The gold standard for diagnosing swallowing problems is the videofluoroscopic swallow study, also known as the ...

A-I’ve been having stomach troubles, and my doctor has scheduled me for something called a “barium swallow.” I’m very concerned. What is this test like, and what is he looking for? A-The symptoms we ...