November 29, 2006 9:07

Got Milk? OK, Let's Go to Radiology

People with abdominal pain are often given CT scans to see if there's something amiss with the intestines. But since the scans have trouble seeing soft tissue, the patients have to drink a "contrast agent" which shows up bright on the images and helps radiologists figure out where the intestines stop and other organs begin. The standard drink of choice is an artificial liquid, often containing barium. (One popular brand's marketing slogan: "Positive enough to mark the bowel...negative enough to make a difference!" Can't you just feel the excitement?)

Nobody likes drinking the stuff, though--but according to a report delivered at this week's annual meeting of the Radiological Society of America in Chicago, it might not be necessary. Dr. Lisa  Shah-Patel, of New York's St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, you can achieve comparable results with nothing more exotic than milk. In a study comparing moo juice with the artificial stuff, milk  highlighted the small intestine nicely, caused fewer side effects (cramping, diarrhea), and cost about a tenth as much. And if the radiology department is out, they can send an orderly over to the 7-Eleven for more.

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