Modified Barium Swallow - Video Lesson

Welcome back everybody to our series on fluoroscopic procedures. This video will discuss the modified barium swallow procedure. Modified barium swallow MBS is a fluoroscopic procedure designed to determine whether food or liquid is entering a person's lungs, also known as aspiration. Aspiration is a medical term for accidentally inhaling your food or liquid through your vocal cords into your lungs, instead of swallowing through your food pipe or esophagus and into your stomach. There are specific anatomies typically visualized in a modified barium swallow. Let's do a quick overview. The nasopharynx, which connects nasal passages to the rest of the respiratory system. The oropharynx, which lies between the soft palate and the hyoid bone. The oral pharynx allows air, food, and fluid to pass through. The hypopharynx, which is the entrance to the esophagus.