Do you have to swallow an endoscope during modified barium swallow search?

You do not have to swallow an endoscope during a Modified Barium Swallow study, search or test.

You consume a small amount of barium-laced liquid, pudding and a cookie. As you drink or chew and swallow them in front of a fluoroscope, a video is made for later study. The barium makes it possible to see your "swallow" in action.

Some labs do provide an alternative test that includes placing an endoscope down the nose, but it has a different name.