Chest X-ray (Radiograph) - RadiologyInfo.org

Chest x-ray uses a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the chest. It is used to evaluate the lungs, heart and chest ... Togglenavigation Test/Treatment PediatricCare Screening/Wellness Disease/Condition Safety EnEspañol MoreInfo AboutUs PhysicianResources Professions SiteIndexAtoZ X-ray(Radiography)-Chest Chestx-rayusesaverysmalldoseofionizingradiationtoproducepicturesoftheinsideofthechest.Itisusedtoevaluatethelungs,heartandchestwallandmaybeusedtohelpdiagnoseshortnessofbreath,persistentcough,fever,chestpainorinjury.Italsomaybeusedtohelpdiagnoseandmonitortreatmentforavarietyoflungconditionssuchaspneumonia,emphysemaandcancer.Becausechestx-rayisfastandeasy,itisparticularlyusefulinemergencydiagnosisandtreatment. Thisexamrequireslittletonospecialpreparation.Tellyourdoctorandthetechnologistifthereisapossibilityyouarepregnant.Leavejewelryathomeandwearloose,comfortableclothing.Youmaybeaskedtowearagown. × Forinformationoncoronavirus(COVID-19)orhowCOVID-19vaccinesideeffectscouldaffectyourimagingresults,seetheMedicalImagingandCoronavirusSafetypage. WhatisaChestX-ray(ChestRadiography)? Whataresomecommonusesoftheprocedure? HowshouldIprepare? Whatdoestheequipmentlooklike? Howdoestheprocedurework? Howistheprocedureperformed? WhatwillIexperienceduringandaftertheprocedure? WhointerpretstheresultsandhowdoIgetthem? Whatarethebenefitsvs.risks? WhatarethelimitationsofChestRadiography? Whichtest,procedureortreatmentisbestforme? WhatisaChestX-ray(ChestRadiography)? Thechestx-rayisthemostcommonlyperformeddiagnosticx-rayexamination.Achestx-rayproducesimagesoftheheart,lungs,airways,bloodvesselsandthebonesofthespineandchest. Anx-rayexamhelpsdoctorsdiagnoseandtreatmedicalconditions.Itexposesyoutoasmalldoseofionizingradiationtoproducepicturesoftheinsideofthebody.X-raysaretheoldestandmostoftenusedformofmedicalimaging. topofpage Whataresomecommonusesoftheprocedure? Thechestx-rayisperformedtoevaluatethelungs,heartandchestwall. Achestx-rayistypicallythefirstimagingtestusedtohelpdiagnosesymptomssuchas: breathingdifficulties abadorpersistentcough chestpainorinjury fever Physiciansusetheexaminationtohelpdiagnoseormonitortreatmentforconditionssuchas: pneumonia heartfailureandotherheartproblems emphysema lungcancer positioningofmedicaldevices fluidoraircollectionaroundthelungs othermedicalconditions topofpage HowshouldIprepare? Achestx-rayrequiresnospecialpreparation. Youmayneedtoremovesomeclothingand/orchangeintoagownfortheexam.Removejewelry,removabledentalappliances,eyeglasses,andanymetalobjectsorclothingthatmightinterferewiththex-rayimages.Womenshouldalwaystelltheirdoctorandtechnologist iftheyarepregnant.Doctorswillnotperformmanytestsduringpregnancytoavoidexposingthefetustoradiation.Ifanx-rayisnecessary,thedoctorwilltakeprecautionstominimizeradiationexposuretothebaby.SeetheSafetyinX-ray,InterventionalRadiologyandNuclearMedicineProcedurespage formoreinformationaboutpregnancyandx-rays. topofpage Whatdoestheequipmentlooklike? Theequipmenttypicallyusedforchestx-raysconsistsofawall-mounted,box-likeapparatuscontainingthex-rayfilm,oraspecialplate thatrecordstheimagedigitally.Anx-rayproducingtubeispositionedaboutsixfeetaway. Theequipmentmayalsobearrangedwiththex-raytubesuspendedoveratableonwhichthepatientlies.Adrawerunderthetableholdsthex-rayfilmordigitalrecordingplate. Compact,portablex-raymachinescanbetakentothepatientinahospitalbedortheemergencyroom.Thex-raytubeisconnectedtoaflexiblearm.Thetechnologistextendsthearmoverthepatientandplacesanx-rayfilmholderorimagerecordingplateunderthepatient. topofpage Howdoestheprocedurework? X-raysareaformofradiationlikelightorradiowaves.X-rayspassthroughmostobjects,includingthebody.Thetechnologistcarefullyaimsthex-raybeamattheareaofinterest.Themachineproducesasmallburstofradiationthatpassesthroughyourbody.Theradiationrecordsanimageonphotographicfilmoraspecialdetector. Differentpartsofthebodyabsorbthex-raysinvaryingdegrees.Denseboneabsorbsmuchoftheradiationwhilesofttissue(muscle,fat,andorgans)allowmoreofthex-raystopassthroughthem.Asaresult,bonesappearwhiteonthex-ray,softtissueshowsupinshadesofgray,andairappearsblack. Onachestx-ray,theribsandspinewillabsorbmuchoftheradiationandappearwhiteorlightgrayontheimage.Lungtissueabsorbslittleradiationandwillappeardarkontheimage. Mostx-rayimagesareelectronicallystoreddigitalfiles.Yourdoctorcaneasilyaccessthesestoredimagestodiagnoseandmanageyourcondition. topofpage Howistheprocedureperformed? Typically,twoviewsofthechestaretaken,onefromthebackandtheotherfromthesideofthebodyasthepatientstandsagainsttheimagerecordingplate.Thetechnologist,anindividualspeciallytrainedtoperformradiologyexaminations,willpositionthepatientwithhandsonhipsandchestpressedagainsttheimageplate.Forthesecondview,thepatient'ssideisagainsttheimageplatewitharmselevated. Patientswhocannotstandmaybepositionedlyingdownonatableforchestx-rays. Youmustholdverystillandmayneedtoholdyourbreathforafewsecondswhilethetechnologisttakesthex-ray.Thishelpsreducethepossibilityofablurredimage.Thetechnologistwillwalkbehindawallorintothenextroomtoactivatethex-raymachine.Whentheexaminationiscomplete,thetechnologistmayaskyoutowaituntiltheradiologistconfirmstheyhaveallthenecessaryimages. Theentirechestx-rayexamination,frompositioningtoobtainingandverifyingtheimages,isusuallycompletedwithin15minutes. Additionalviewsmayberequiredwithinhours,daysormonthstoevaluateanychangesinthechest. topofpage WhatwillIexperienceduringandaftertheprocedure? Achestx-rayexaminationitselfisapainlessprocedure. Youmayexperiencediscomfortfromthecooltemperatureintheexaminationroomandthecoldnessoftherecordingplate.Individualswitharthritis orinjuriestothechestwall,shouldersorarmsmayhavediscomforttryingtostaystillduringtheexamination.Thetechnologistwillassistyouinfindingthemostcomfortablepositionpossiblethatstillensuresdiagnosticimagequality. topofpage WhointerpretstheresultsandhowdoIgetthem? Aradiologist,adoctortrainedtosuperviseandinterpretradiologyexaminations,willanalyzetheimages.Theradiologistwillsendasignedreporttoyourprimarycareorreferringphysicianwhowilldiscusstheresults withyou. Theresultsofachestx-raycanbeavailablealmostimmediatelyforreviewbyyourphysician. Youmayneedafollow-upexam.Ifso,yourdoctorwillexplainwhy.Sometimesafollow-upexamfurtherevaluatesapotentialissuewithmoreviewsoraspecialimagingtechnique.Itmayalsoseeiftherehasbeenanychangeinanissueovertime.Follow-upexamsareoftenthebestwaytoseeiftreatmentisworkingorifaproblemneedsattention. topofpage Whatarethebenefitsvs.risks? Benefits Noradiationstaysinyourbodyafteranx-rayexam. X-raysusuallyhavenosideeffectsinthetypicaldiagnosticrangeforthisexam.X-rayequipmentisrelativelyinexpensiveandwidelyavailableinemergencyrooms,doctors’offices,ambulatorycarecenters,nursinghomes,andotherlocations.Thismakesitconvenientforbothpatientsanddoctors. Becausex-rayimagingisfastandeasy,itisparticularlyusefulinemergencydiagnosisandtreatment.  Risks Thereisalwaysaslightchanceofcancerfromexcessiveexposuretoradiation.However,giventhesmallamountofradiationusedinmedicalimaging,thebenefitofanaccuratediagnosisfaroutweighstheassociatedrisk.Theradiationdoseforthisprocedurevaries.SeetheRadiationDoseinX-RayandCTExams pageformoreinformationaboutradiationdose.Womenshouldalwaystelltheirdoctorandx-raytechnologistiftheyarepregnant.SeetheSafetyinX-ray,InterventionalRadiologyandNuclearMedicineProcedures pageformoreinformationaboutpregnancyandx-rays. AWordAboutMinimizingRadiationExposure Doctorstakespecialcareduringx-rayexamstousethelowestradiationdosepossiblewhileproducingthebestimagesforevaluation.Nationalandinternationalradiologyprotectionorganizationscontinuallyreviewandupdatethetechniquestandardsradiologyprofessionalsuse. Modernx-raysystemsminimizestray(scatter)radiationbyusingcontrolledx-raybeamsanddosecontrolmethods.Thisensuresthattheareasofyourbodynotbeingimagedreceiveminimalradiationexposure. topofpage WhatarethelimitationsofChestRadiography? Thechestx-rayisaveryusefulexamination,butithaslimitations.Becausesomeconditionsofthechestcannotbedetectedonaconventionalchestx-rayimage,thisexaminationcannotnecessarilyruleoutallproblemsinthechest.Forexample,smallcancersmaynotshowuponachestx-ray.Abloodclot inthelungs,aconditioncalledapulmonaryembolism,cannotbeseenonchestx-rays. Furtherimagingstudiesmaybenecessarytoclarifytheresultsofachestx-rayortolookforabnormalitiesnotvisibleonthechestx-ray. topofpage Whichtest,procedureortreatmentisbestforme? RoutineChestRadiography topofpage AdditionalInformationandResources RTAnswers.org:RadiationTherapyforLungCancer topofpage ThispagewasreviewedonJune,15,2020 Sendusyourfeedback Didyoufindtheinformationyouwerelookingfor? Yes No Pleasetypeyourcommentorsuggestionintothetextboxbelow.Note:weareunabletoanswerspecificquestionsorofferindividualmedicaladviceoropinions. Comments: E-Mail: AreaCode: Phoneno: Images × ImageGallery Chestx-rayprocedure Viewfullsizewithcaption RelatedArticlesandMedia ChronicObstructivePulmonaryDisease(COPD) LungCancer LungCancerTreatment Pneumonia SafetyinX-ray,InterventionalRadiologyandNuclearMedicineProcedures RadiationDoseinX-RayandCTExams ImagesrelatedtoX-ray(Radiography)-Chest VideosrelatedtoX-ray(Radiography)-Chest SponsoredBy Pleasenote RadiologyInfo.orgisnotamedicalfacility.Pleasecontactyourphysicianwithspecificmedicalquestionsorforareferraltoaradiologistorotherphysician.Tolocateamedicalimagingorradiationoncologyproviderinyourcommunity,youcansearchtheACR-accreditedfacilitiesdatabase. Thiswebsitedoesnotprovidecostinformation.Thecostsforspecificmedicalimagingtests,treatmentsandproceduresmayvarybygeographicregion.Discussthefeesassociatedwithyourprescribedprocedurewithyourdoctor,themedicalfacilitystaffand/oryourinsuranceprovidertogetabetterunderstandingofthepossiblechargesyouwillincur. Webpagereviewprocess:ThisWebpageisreviewedregularlybyaphysicianwithexpertiseinthemedicalareapresentedandisfurtherreviewedbycommitteesfromtheRadiologicalSocietyofNorthAmerica(RSNA)andtheAmericanCollegeofRadiology(ACR),comprisingphysicianswithexpertiseinseveralradiologicareas. Outsidelinks:Fortheconvenienceofourusers,RadiologyInfo.orgprovideslinkstorelevantwebsites.RadiologyInfo.org,RSNAandACRarenotresponsibleforthecontentcontainedonthewebpagesfoundattheselinks.