The American College of Radiology (ACR) said it has been in contact with manufacturers to monitor an ongoing shortage of barium products used for fluoroscopy.
While normal manufacturing may actually have resumed in November, a backlog of orders means that distribution may not be normalized for a few more months, ACR has learned.
As with previous shortages, radiology departments may need to take steps to ensure that they are continuing to provide optimal patient care, ACR stated. Arrangements may include substituting other barium products, performing alternative procedures that do not require barium (such as CT or MR, including enterography studies), referring patients for endoscopy, prioritizing studies that use barium, and postponing barium studies that are less urgent.
