exams

Barium sulfate

What is that

Barium sulfate is a substance used as a contrast agent in the performance of certain types of diagnostic tests, such as CT scans and radiographs.

From the chemical point of view, barium sulfate is an inorganic salt (chemical formula BaSO 4 ), which appears as a white powder that is scarcely soluble both in water and in organic solvents.

Precisely the low solubility and its non-transparency to X-rays have allowed barium sulfate to be widely exploited in the medical-diagnostic field as a contrast agent. In this regard, the barium sulfate used in this field is considered as a real medicine.

* In nature, barium sulfate is found in the form of barite, a mineral belonging to the celestine group, represented in the upper part of the image.

Curiosity

Barium sulfate is not used exclusively in the medical field. In fact, this salt is also used in many other areas. For example, it is one of the components of drilling fluids used in drilling oil wells. Furthermore, barium sulfate is used as a white pigment in the composition of some wall paintings, as can be used for the production of photographic paper. Other interesting uses of this salt concern the pyrotechnic field, where it is used for the production of green fireworks.

Despite its many uses, in this article only the characteristics of barium sulfate used in the medical field will be taken into consideration.

Indications

What is Barium Sulphate used for

As mentioned, barium sulfate is used in the medical field as a contrast medium for performing radiological examinations.

Please note

In medicine, barium sulfate is used ONLY for diagnostic purposes and NOT for therapeutic purposes.

In detail, barium sulfate is indicated for increasing X-ray visibility of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon).

Precautions

What you need to know before taking Barium Sulphate

Of course, the use of barium sulfate can be carried out only if it is necessary to perform radiological examinations with contrast medium. The administration of a similar medicine, therefore, must take place exclusively under the supervision of the physician and / or health personnel specialized in the use of radiopaque contrast agents.

However, before taking this substance, you must inform your doctor if you suffer from any disease or disorder of the gastrointestinal tract (such as, for example, diarrhea, constipation, diverticulitis or other diseases), all the more so if these are conditions that they can cause an increased risk of intestinal perforation.

However, before undergoing any radiological examination requiring the use of contrast agents, it is advisable to inform the physician of your general state of health, making it aware of both the presence of any pathologies and the presence of any allergies. intolerance to drugs or substances of any type (including sugars).

In the same way, it is good to inform your doctor if you are taking - or have recently been taken - drugs or substances of any kind, including homeopathic products, herbal products and medicines without a prescription.

Administration

How is Barium Sulfate given?

Currently, medicines containing barium sulfate are available for oral and rectal use. The use of a particular medicine rather than another depends substantially on the type of radiological examination that is required.

If the radiological examination is to be performed in the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach and duodenum), then medicines suitable for oral administration will be used. Conversely, if the radiological examination is to be performed at the level of the colon, then medicines for rectal use will be used.

However, within these medicines, barium sulfate is in the form of a suspension powder (oral or rectal, depending on the case). The suspension must be prepared just before the administration of the contrast medium to the patient, which must be carried out by health personnel specialized in the subject.

Side effects

If properly used, barium sulfate should not cause side effects. However, although rarely, taking this salt can still give rise to some undesirable effects in particularly sensitive individuals. In other cases, on the other hand, side effects may occur due to incorrect administration of the medicine.

Among the side effects that can occur, we recall:

  • Constipation;
  • Systemic effects caused by intravascular absorption of barium sulfate;
  • Inflammation of the lungs (it can occur if barium sulfate accidentally enters the bronchi, leading to so-called aspiration pneumonia).

Furthermore, the possibility of the onset of allergic reactions should not be forgotten.

Action mechanism

Once taken, the barium sulfate is distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and, thanks to its ability to attenuate X-rays, it is able to dull - therefore, to make it more visible compared to adjacent areas - the area in which it is distributed .

The capacity of barium sulfate to attenuate X-rays and make the areas in which it is more visible is due to the atomic number of barium, which is higher than that of atoms present in soft tissues subjected to radiological investigation ( oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, etc.).

Toxicity

Barium sulfate is a product whose use is now widely established and for this reason it is considered completely safe.

In truth, like many other barium salts, this is also fairly toxic to humans. However, thanks to its insolubility in water, in organic phase, in acid solution and in basic solution, it can be used in complete safety, since it is poorly absorbed, therefore it does not induce toxicity.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

There is no real contraindication for the use of barium sulfate during pregnancy. More than anything else, the contraindication concerns the performance of radiological examinations in itself, since they could be harmful to the fetus, especially during the delicate phase of organogenesis.

As for breastfeeding mothers, instead, barium sulfate can be used as a contrast agent, since - due to its poor solubility - its systemic absorption is scarce and negligible.

Contraindications

When you should not use Barium Sulphate

The use of barium sulfate is obviously contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the compound.

Furthermore, the use of this salt is absolutely contraindicated in the event of:

  • Gastrointestinal perforation, as barium sulfate could leak out and cause serious peritonitis;
  • Gastrointestinal obstruction;
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding;
  • Other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that can make the intake of barium sulfate problematic and cause serious side effects or complications.