X-ray - NHS

An X-ray is a quick and painless procedure commonly used to produce images of the inside of the body. It's a very effective way of looking at the bones and ... Skiptomaincontent Home HealthAtoZ BacktoHealthAtoZ X-ray AnX-rayisa quickandpainlessprocedurecommonlyusedtoproduceimagesoftheinsideofthebody.It'saveryeffective wayof lookingatthebonesandcanbeusedtohelpdetectarangeofconditions.X-raysareusuallycarriedout inhospitalX-raydepartmentsbytrainedspecialistscalledradiographers,althoughtheycanalsobedonebyotherhealthcareprofessionals,suchasdentists. HowX-raysworkX-raysareatypeofradiationthatcanpassthrough thebody.Theycan'tbeseenbythenakedeyeandyoucan'tfeelthem.As theypassthrough thebody,theenergyfromX-rays isabsorbedatdifferentratesbydifferentpartsofthebody. AdetectorontheothersideofthebodypicksuptheX-raysafterthey'vepassedthroughandturnsthemintoanimage.Dense partsofyourbodythatX-raysfinditmoredifficulttopassthrough,suchasbone,showupasclearwhiteareason theimage.SofterpartsthatX-rayscanpassthroughmoreeasily,suchasyourheartandlungs,showupasdarkerareas. WhenX-raysareusedX-rayscanbeusedtoexaminemostareasofthebody.They'remainlyusedtolookatthebonesandjoints,althoughthey'resometimesusedtodetectproblemsaffectingsofttissue,suchasinternalorgans.ProblemsthatmaybedetectedduringanX-rayinclude:bonefracturesandbreakstoothproblems,suchas looseteethanddentalabscessesscoliosis (abnormalcurvatureofthespine)non-cancerousand cancerousbonetumourslungproblems,suchaspneumonia andlungcancerdysphagia (swallowingproblems)heartproblems,suchasheartfailurebreastcancerX-rayscanalsobeusedtoguidedoctorsorsurgeonsduringcertainprocedures.Forexample, duringacoronaryangioplasty – aproceduretowidennarrowedarteries neartheheart – X-rayscanbeusedtohelpguideacatheter (along,thin,flexibletube)alongoneofyourarteries. PreparingforanX-rayYoudon'tusuallyneedtodoanythingspecialtoprepareforanX-ray.Youcaneatanddrinkasnormalbeforehandandcancontinuetakingyourusualmedications.However,youmayneedtostoptakingcertainmedicationsandavoideatinganddrinkingforafewhoursifyou'rehavinganX-raythatusesacontrastagent(see contrastX-raysbelow).ForallX-rays,youshouldletthehospitalknowifyou'repregnant.X-rays aren'tusuallyrecommendedifyou'repregnantunlessit'sanemergency.It'sagoodideatowearloosecomfortableclothes,asyoumaybeabletoweartheseduringtheX-ray.Trytoavoidwearingjewelleryandclothescontainingmetal(suchaszips),asthesewillneedtoberemoved. HavinganX-rayDuring anX-ray,you'llusuallybeaskedtolieonatableorstandagainstaflatsurface so thatthepartofyourbodybeingexamined canbepositionedintherightplace.TheX-raymachine,whichlookslikeatubecontainingalargelightbulb,willbecarefullyaimedatthepartofthebodybeingexaminedbytheradiographer.Theywill operatethemachinefrombehindascreenorfromthenextroom.TheX-raywilllastforafractionofasecond. Youwon'tfeelanythingwhileit'scarriedout.WhiletheX-rayisbeingtaken,you'llneedtokeepstillsotheimageproduced isn'tblurred.MorethanoneX-raymaybetakenfromdifferentanglesto provideasmuch informationaspossibleThe procedurewillusuallyonlytakeafewminutes.Contrast X-raysInsomecases,a substancecalledacontrastagentmaybegivenbeforeanX-rayiscarriedout.ThiscanhelpshowsofttissuesmoreclearlyontheX-ray.TypesofX-raysinvolvingacontrastagentinclude:bariumswallow–asubstancecalledbariumisswallowed to helphighlighttheupperdigestivesystembariumenema –bariumispassedintoyourbowelthroughyourbottomangiography –iodineisinjectedintoabloodvesseltohighlighttheheartandbloodvesselsintravenousurogram(IVU)–iodineisinjectedintoabloodvessel tohighlightthe kidneysandbladderThesetypesofX-raysmayneedspecialpreparationbeforehandandwillusuallytakelongertocarryout. Yourappointmentletterwillmentionanythingyouneedtodotoprepare. WhathappensafteranX-rayYouwon'texperienceanyaftereffectsfromastandardX-rayandwillbeabletogohomeshortlyafterwards.Youcan returnto yournormalactivitiesstraightaway.YoumayhavesometemporarysideeffectsfromthecontrastagentifonewasusedduringyourX-ray.Forexample,bariumcanturnyourpooawhitishcolourforafewdaysandaninjectiongiventorelaxyourstomachbefore theX-ray maycauseyoureyesighttobeblurryforafewhours.Somepeople developarashorfeelsickafterhavinganiodineinjection.TheX-ray imageswilloftenneedtobeexaminedbyadoctorcalledaradiologistbeforeyou'retoldtheresults.Theymaydiscusstheirfindingswithyouonthesameday,ortheymaysendareporttoyourGPorthedoctorwhorequestedtheX-ray,whocandiscusstheresultswithyouafewdayslater. AreX-rayssafe?PeopleareoftenconcernedaboutbeingexposedtoradiationduringanX-ray.However, thepartofyourbodybeingexaminedwillonlybeexposedtoalowlevelofradiation forafractionofasecond.Generally,theamountofradiationyou'reexposedtoduringanX-rayistheequivalenttobetweenafew daysandafewyearsofexposuretonaturalradiationfromtheenvironment.BeingexposedtoX-raysdoescarryariskof causingcancermanyyearsordecadeslater, butthisriskisthoughttobevery small.Forexample, anX-rayofyourchest,limbsorteethisequivalent to afewdays'worthofbackgroundradiation,andhaslessthana1in1,000,000chanceofcausingcancer.Formoreinformation, seeGOV.UK:patientdoseinformation.ThebenefitsandrisksofhavinganX-raywillbeweighedupbeforeit'srecommended.Talktoyourdoctororradiographeraboutthepotentialrisksbeforehand,ifyouhaveanyconcerns. Pagelastreviewed:13July2018 Nextreviewdue:13July2021