A barium enema is a radiographic (X-ray) examination of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract that can detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine (colon). The large intestine, including the rectum, is made visible on X-ray film by filling the colon with barium sulfate (barium).
An enema is the injection of a liquid into the rectum through a small tube. In this case, the liquid contains a metallic substance (barium) that coats the lining of the colon. Normally, an X-ray produces a poor image of soft tissues, but the barium coating results in a relatively clear silhouette of the colon.
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