<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
The use of an UGI xray to diagnose celiac disease is quite limited.
The ugi xray consists of giving barium solution and then taking xrays of the
stomach and intestines as the barium goes through.  The barium blocks xrays so
it shows up white on the black xray.  The radiologist looks at the silluoette
that the barium makes.
 
This can tell alot about the lining.  However the UGI cannot readily identify
even most cases of celiac disease, because the damage is often microscopic.
In the old days the barium was make by hand on site by mixing the powder with
water and then drinking the mixture.  This mixture was easily diluted by excess
fluid in the intestine leading to a snow storm like appearance on the xray. The
pattern was one often seen in untreated celiac disease due to the excess fluid
in the celiac intestine.  HOWEVER modern barium formulations are specially made
not to diluted by intestinal fluids( it makes the siluoette clearer ) and hence
areless sensitive for the diagnosis of celiac disease.  This change known by
most radiologists may not be known to the clinicians interpreting the tests as
some of the old discriptions are still in the old textbooks.
 
I use UGI xrays in some celiacs not to discover celiac disease but to look for
complications, or other diseases such as Crohn's disease
 
Not medical advice
Joe Murray