Contrast Enema
Outlines the large bowel — used for Hirschsprung and obstruction.
What is Contrast Enema?
A liquid that shows up on X-ray is passed gently into the back passage through a soft tube, and pictures are taken as it outlines the large bowel.
- Normal
- Fluid or contrast
Why It Is Asked For
This test is requested only when the answer would change what we do next.
- Suspected Hirschsprung disease — it often shows a narrow segment with dilated bowel above
- Bowel obstruction in a newborn, to find the level
- Before planning a pull-through, to define the anatomy
Before the Day
- Usually no bowel preparation in a newborn
- The doctor will explain whether feeds should be stopped
- Bring spare nappies and clothes
On the Day
- A soft tube is placed in the back passage
- Contrast flows in by gravity while X-ray pictures are taken
- Uncomfortable and undignified rather than painful; it takes 15 to 30 minutes
What the Results Show
- A transition zone between narrow and dilated bowel suggests Hirschsprung disease
- It supports the diagnosis but does not replace a rectal biopsy, which is definitive
- In obstruction it shows the level and sometimes the cause
Is It Safe?
- Uses X-rays; the dose is kept low
- Contrast is passed out in the stool over the next day or two
- Perforation is a rare risk, which is why it is done gently and by experienced hands
Common Questions
If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the hospital team will answer.
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Surgeon · Palliyadi, Kanyakumari
Super-specialist surgical care for newborns, infants and children, with expertise in paediatric urology, congenital anomalies, gastro-intestinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Often the first step towards a Hirschsprung diagnosis, though not the last.
It shows the shape of the bowel and guides what comes next; a rectal biopsy is what confirms the diagnosis. Bring the newborn history, especially when meconium was first passed.
Consultation 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM · 24-hour laboratory & pharmacy
In an emergency — green vomiting in a baby, a groin swelling that will not go back, severe tummy pain, or a newborn not passing urine or meconium — come straight to the hospital or to your nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a reply to a message.