Imaging Tests Imaging tests produce a picture of a patient's organs and tissues. Gastroscopy A doctor inserts a very thin tube, which contains a light and lens, through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach. Video images of the interior of the stomach appear on a monitor. Miniature instruments in the scope allow the removal of small specimens of tissue for testing. To make the patient more comfortable during the gastroscopy, the doctor sprays an anesthetic solution into the throat to reduce the sensation during the procedure.
Barium swallow The patient swallows a solution containing the mineral barium.
While the solution is in the esophagus and stomach, a technician takes an x-ray that shows the shape of the tract. This is a specialized x-ray technique that produces many layers of detailed pictures of the patient's systems. A computer tracks the magnetism and produces a picture of the tissues being studied. Ultrasound Extremely high frequency sound waves bounce off structures in the patient's body. A computer translates these echoes into a sonogram image.