Combined use of double- and single-contrast barium enema in the evaluation of suspected colonic disease.

Although controversy has surrounded the use of single- and double-contrast barium enemas for many years, a growing opinion exists that these studies are complementary, each possessing advantages in different clinical settings. We have found that when interpretation of double-contrast studies is difficult because suspected abnormalities are subtle or because technical quality of examinations is less than ideal, single-contrast enemas can be helpful. We have been able to obtain high-quality single-contrast studies using low-viscosity, low-density barium suspensions administered immediately following evacuation after initial air contrast evaluation.