At Swallow Science Melbourne, we offer comprehensive instrumental swallowing assessments to visualise and analyse the movements of swallowing in order to understand any changes to your swallowing. These assessments provide direct visualisation of how food and fluid move through the mouth and throat - information that simply cannot be obtained from clinical examination alone.

Instrumental assessments help determine the underlying cause of swallowing difficulties, guide tailored management plans, and support safe, evidence-based decision-making for people with conditions that affect swallowing.

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Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

FEES involves using a small, flexible camera (endoscope) passed gently through one nostril to view the throat from above. This allows the speech pathologist to directly observe the throat, voice box, and airway during swallowing.

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Unlike other imaging methods, FEES can be completed right in the clinic, without radiation exposure or barium contrast. It provides a clear, magnified view of soft tissue function, secretion management, and airway protection across a range of food and fluid textures.

 

​After the assessment, your clinician will review and analyse the footage, provide initial impressions, and prepare a detailed report for you and the referrer. If you already have a treating speech pathologist, they are welcome to attend the assessment or receive the images and report to continue care in the community.

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Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS)

VFSS is an X-ray video assessment performed in a radiology suite. It provides a dynamic view of how food and fluid move through the mouth, pharynx, and oesophagus during swallowing.

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During a VFSS, small amounts of food and fluid are mixed with a contrast agent (barium) so they can be seen on X-ray. The test captures a real-time moving image (fluoroscopy) of each swallow, enabling precise assessment of timing, coordination, and airway protection.​

 

The study takes around 20 minutes and is performed at an radiology centre. You’ll be positioned upright in front of the X-ray and given small amounts of food and drink mixed with barium.

The speech pathologist provides cues and monitors swallowing, while the radiographer captures the images.

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Following the study, your images are reviewed in detail, and a comprehensive report is provided to your referring specialist.

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