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Fluoroscopy Area at RCH (Ba Swallow-Meal)

Fluoroscopy Introduction

Hi my name is James.

I am going to take you through my journey as I visit The Royal Children's Hospital.  I am visiting the fluoroscopy area-some people like to call it fluoro.
The doctors and medical imaging technologists here will take X-ray photo of the inside of my stomach and throat.  This will help the doctors see what might be making me feel unwell.  They will use a machine called a C arm image intensifier. 

This is the reception area.  It is on the second floor of the main building.  The easiest way to get to the medical imaging reception area is to use the orange lifts. This is Leonie; she is one of the helpful receptionists.  When you arrive, let the receptionists know you are here and they will show you where to wait for your fluoro X-ray.

Dad and I are waiting in the fluoro waiting area.  There are some games and stories to look at while I wait.  I also can bring in my favourite toys to play with while I am waiting, and also while I am having my X-ray.  For some X-rays you will need to remove any metal belts, necklaces, earrings or zippers.  Sometimes one may need to wear a white gown in case the drink spills and it will keep your clothes clean.  The nurse will let you know what you need to remove while you are waiting.

This is the drink I need to have while I'm having my scan.  The drink is called "barium", and it helps the doctors see the inside of my  throat and stomach a lot better when they take the X-ray.  I can choose to put chocolate or strawberry flavouring in my drink.  These are some of the different ways that I can take my drink. I can choose from a bottle, syringe or cup.  I have chosen to use the cup and straw, as this is what I would drink from at home.  Bringing in a special cup or bottle from home is also a good idea.

This is the fluoro camera. It has a flat bed, which I will lie down on.  The C - arm has the camera in it that takes the X-ray picture of my body.  The bed can go up and down which makes it easier for me to get on and off. The C arm moves along the bed so it can take pictures of my throat and stomach it does come close to my body but it never touches me or hurts me.

These are some of the toys that I can look at while I am having my X-ray photos taken.  This can make the experience here a lot of fun; I can play with them with my Dad or the play therapist.

This is me getting ready for my scan as I lie down on the bed.  Dad can stay with me the whole time.  Dad needs to wear a lead gown because he is not having an X-ray taken. 

Louise is the nurse who will be helping me during the scan. Louise lets me know when I need to swallow my chocolate drink.   The camera needs to move close to the top of my body at times and so  the nurse and Dad will need to move around. This is so the camera can move to take the best picture.  Lying this way on the bed helps the doctor see the barium move down through my stomach. Dad is holding my hands: they need to be above my head so they don't appear in the X-ray picture. 

Sometimes I need to roll on my side or my back to have my drink.  This can be a bit tricky, but there are lots of people to help me.  Rolling on my side gives the doctors pictures of another angle of my stomach and throat to look at.  While having the scan the play therapist can look at books, tell jokes or play games with me.  During the scan nothing touches me and it is not noisy so I am able to listen to the jokes Dad is telling me. 

This is Grant the Radiologist.  The radiologist takes the photos using the control panel that is next to the bed you are lying on.  The radiologist may ask me to roll from side to side on the bed.  Sometimes the doctor may ask me to go for a walk for a little while. Going for a walk helps the barium in my stomach move along with ease.  Then I need to return to have more photos taken to see if the barium has moved to another area of my stomach.

The fluoro camera takes really cool pictures.  This image on the screen shows somebody drinking their barium and it is running down their throat. The drink is really white but in the pictures it looks black.  How amazing is that!

This is Caroline a radiographer.  A radiographer is a trained person who takes X-ray photos.  Here is the console room where the radiographer goes to operate the camera.  Caroline is able to watch me through the window while I'm having my X-ray.

At the end of my scan the bed is lowered and I can get off the bed, redressed, and have a hug from Dad.  That is my journey to the RCH fluoro area I hope you found it helpful.

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