Barium sulfate

What is that

Barium sulphate is a substance used as a contrast medium in the execution of certain types of diagnostic tests, such as CT scans and radiographs.

From a chemical point of view, barium sulphate is an inorganic salt (chemical formula BaSO4), which appears as a white powder * poorly soluble both in water and in organic solvents.

Precisely the poor solubility and its non-transparency to X-rays have allowed barium sulphate to be widely used in the medical-diagnostic field as a contrast medium. In this regard, the barium sulphate used in this field is considered a real medicine.

* In nature, barium sulfate is found in the form of barite, a mineral belonging to the celestine group, represented in the upper part of the image.