Use of hypertonic-barium mixtures in the diagnosis of the dumping syndrome.

A hypertonic glucose-barium test meal is a useful study in making the diagnosis of dumping syndrome. A distorted small bowel pattern is seen in the positive response as a result of the rapid entrance of hypertonic glucose into the small bowel with edema of the bowel wall and excessive fluid outpouring into the bowel lumen. The findings in the glucose-barium meal test should be correlated with clinical and laboratory findings to confirm the diagnosis. A negative response to the hypertonic glucose-barium test meal practically precludes the diagnosis of the dumping syndrome. A positive test is highly suggestive of the syndrome but not diagnostic in itself.