Abdominal x-ray as a scout film for other procedures such as barium enemas. An upper gastrointestinal series is where a contrast medium, usually a radiocontrast agent such as barium sulfate barium salt mixed with water, is ingested or instilled into the gastrointestinal tract, and X-rays are used to create radiographs of the regions of interest. The barium enhances the visibility of the relevant parts of the gastrointestinal tract by coating the inside wall of the tract and appearing white on the film. A lower gastrointestinal series is where radiographs are taken while barium sulfate, a radiocontrast agent, fills the colon via an
Descending colon Descending colon The descending colon is the part of the large intestine from the splenic flexure to the beginning of the sigmoid colon. The function of the descending colon in the digestive system is to store the remains of digested food that will be emptied into the rectum. The descending colon begins at the splenic flexure at the upper left part of the abdomen. It passes downward through the left hypochondrium and lumbar regions, along the outer border of the left kidney and ends at the lower left part of the abdomen where it continues as the sigmoid colon. It