# Barium sulfate oral contrast

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/barium-sulfate/  
OnCo record `barium-sulfate` (Imaging agent). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

The chalky drink swallowed before some CT scans and X-rays so the gullet, stomach and bowel show up clearly.

## Summary

Drugs@FDA lists Bracco's barium sulfate products under NDA 208143 (original approval 15 January 2016), including Readi-Cat 2, Liquid E-Z-Paque, Varibar, Entero Vu and Tagitol V. Readi-Cat 2 is indicated "for use in computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen to delineate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in adult and pediatric patients"; Liquid E-Z-Paque for "single contrast radiographic examinations of the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel".

## Fields

- Kind: Imaging agent
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: barium sulfate; barium sulphate; Readi-Cat; E-Z-Paque; Varibar; Entero Vu; Tagitol V; barium swallow
- Tags: contrast-agents-gaps-2026-11; diagnostic
- Brand: Readi-Cat 2
- Modality: Barium sulfate contrast agent for X-ray and CT of the gut (oral)
- Mechanism: Insoluble barium sulfate coats and fills the gut and absorbs X-rays, outlining the oesophagus, stomach and bowel.
- Approvals: US 2016: CT of the abdomen to delineate the gastrointestinal tract; radiographic examination of the oesophagus, stomach and small bowel

## Sources

- Drugs@FDA Barium sulfate products (NDA 208143): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=208143
- DailyMed label: Readi-Cat 2: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d2d293d5-dcc9-0d3f-58ed-686ef0132d7c
- DailyMed label: Liquid E-Z-Paque: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=2ecea1ab-66c8-4eb0-8503-6d6b41b51328

## Connected records

- technologies: [CT (computed tomography)](https://onco.cc/technologies/ct/), [Iodinated and barium contrast for CT and X-ray](https://onco.cc/technologies/iodinated-contrast-media/)
- companies: [Bracco (Bracco Imaging and Bracco Diagnostics)](https://onco.cc/companies/bracco/)

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