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UPSC 1999: Barium in a suitable form is administered to patients before an X-ray examination of the stomach, because
(a)barium allows X-rays to pass through the stomach on account of its transparency to X-rays
(b)barium compound, like magnesium sulphate helps in cleaning the stomach before X-ray examination
(c)barium is a good absorber of X-rays and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with the other regions in the picture
(d)barium salts are white in colour and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with other regions in the picture
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Not attemptedCorrect Answer: (c) barium is a good absorber of X-rays and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with the other regions in the picture
Patients swallow a suspension of barium sulphate before a gastrointestinal X-ray because barium’s high atomic number makes it an excellent absorber of X-rays; the coated stomach therefore shows up as a bright silhouette against surrounding soft tissues. It is not transparent to X-rays, its laxative action is incidental, and the white colour is irrelevant to radiographic contrast. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate_suspension?utm_source=openai))
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What is the correct answer to this UPSC 1999 Science & Technology question?▼
The correct answer is option (c): barium is a good absorber of X-rays and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with the other regions in the picture. Watch the detailed video explanation in our Sherlocking Prelims course on UnlockIAS.
Which year was this Health & Diseases question asked in UPSC Prelims?▼
This question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 1999, GS Paper 1, as Question 118. It falls under Science & Technology > Health & Diseases.
What is the difficulty level of this UPSC question?▼
This question is rated "easy". It tests basic recall and most well-prepared aspirants should answer it correctly.
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Health & Diseases?▼
UPSC has asked 86 questions from Health & Diseases (under Science & Technology) across multiple years. Visit the topic page to see the full list and year-wise trends.