Journal of Hepatology and Gastrointestinal disorders
Open Access

Gastrografin

Gastrografin is an X-ray contrast medium that acts like an X-ray dye when X-rays of the gastrointestinal tract are being taken. It is provided as a solution for drinking or diluted for use as an enema. Gastrografin has a sweet taste. All X-ray contrast mediums, including Gastrografin, contain iodine. X-rays are able to pass through bones in your body and thus produce a ‘picture’, but X-rays are unable to pass through the iodine in contrast agents. Gastrografin enables the radiologist to see the gastrointestinal tract more clearly.

Gastrografin is often used when a barium enema or meal cannot be used. It is sometimes added to barium to improve the X-ray picture.

Gastrografin is sometimes used to treat meconium ileus, a specific type of bowel blockage.

Gastrografin may also be used for CT scan (Computerised Tomography) in the abdominal region.

Gastrografin is only available in X-ray departments and X-ray practices for use in conjunction with taking X-rays.

The radiologist will advise the use of Gastrografin if he/she feels that it is likely to assist the X-ray examination in finding out more about your medical condition.

You must not be given Gastrografin if you have an allergy to:

Amidotrizoate meglumine and/or sodium amidotrizoate the active ingredients in Gastrografin iodine containing contrast agent any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

shortness of breath wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body rash, itching or hives on the skin.

You must not be given Gastrografin if:

you have an overactive thyroid gland which is not being adequately treated.

Gastrografin must not be used:

undiluted in newborns, infants, children or dehydrated patients in patients where there may be a possibility of inhalation of contrast media.