Milk saves money on CT scans

A new medical use may have been found for milk.

Last fall, scientists reported to the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America that milk works just as well as a barium-based oral contrast agent that abdominal pain sufferers have been told to drink for years.

The barium drink allows evidence of disease on the bowel wall to be more visible to the computed tomography (CT) scan operator.

There’s a big cost advantage, says the Radiological Society. The barium agent costs $18 a parent. The milk costs less than $1.50.

There’s another advantage as well. Fewer people are likely to refuse to drink the milk. BF