Oral and pharyngeal dysphagia.

The swallowing tract extends from the lips to the gastric cardia. The barium swallow provides a global view of oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal motility and pharyngeal and esophageal morphology. Barium pharyngography is the best test to assess the functional capabilities of the pharynx. The barium swallow may be used as the sole diagnostic examination or as a guide to what procedure or intervention should be forthcoming.