Videofluoroscopic Evaluation of Swallowing

Also known as a Modified Barium Swallow Procedure, this type of instrumental assessment is conducted to identify the physiologic swallowing impairment and to determine whether any therapeutic strategies will make the swallow safer (e.g., eliminate aspiration) or more efficient (e.g., improve flow of food and liquid through the mouth and throat); the patient will swallow liquids and solids mixed with barium, which will enable the anatomic structures as well as the barium liquids and solids to be visualized in real-time during swallowing in a scan. When therapeutic strategies are introduced, changes in flow of food and liquid barium as well as improvement in structural movement during the swallow can be visualized with this type of assessment.