Technique and management of double contrast studies in the intestinal tract

Competition of endoscopy has brought forth development of new roentgenographic procedures in gastroenterology. Besides modern fluoroscopic equipment, examination of the gastrointestinal tract was mainly improved by double contrast technique. Contrast media which guarantee the coating of mucosal folds enable better visualization of the intestinal wall. Examples of routinely done gastrointestinal tract examinations demonstrate possibilities to obtain diagnoses by double contrast technique with a new barium suspension (Topcontral). It is shown that only combined radiologic, endoscopic, microscopic, and possibly cytologic examinations guarantee greatest diagnostic accuracy in gastrointestinal disease. (orig.)