Still, the women diagnosed with pregnancy-associated breast cancer were more likely to have later-stage breast cancer compared to the other women. This may be because pregnancy may make it harder to detect breast cancer symptoms. Pregnancy also may cause women to wait to get a mammogram.
A barium swallow is a diagnostic test that involves a series of X-rays of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum during and after drinking a barium solution. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine; and the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum are collectively called the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract or upper digestive system. You may also hear doctors refer to a barium swallow as an upper GI series or a barium meal.
Diagnosing Acid Reflux With a Barium Swallow Radiograph. Your doctor may decide to use a special X-ray procedure -- the barium swallow radiograph -- to rule out any structural problems in your esophagus. In this painless acid reflux test, you will be asked to swallow a solution of barium. The barium enables doctors to take X-rays of your esophagus. Barium swallow isn't a surefire method of diagnosing GERD. Only one out of every three people with GERD has esophageal changes that are visible on X-rays.