Chest X-ray

An X-ray is an imaging test that uses small amounts of radiation to produce pictures of the organs, tissues, and bones of the body. When focused on the chest, it can help spot abnormalities or diseases of the airways, blood vessels, bones, heart, and lungs. Chest X-rays can also determine if you have fluid in your lungs, or fluid or air surrounding your lungs.

Your doctor could order a chest X-ray for a variety of reasons, including to assess injuries resulting from an accident or to monitor the progression of a disease, such as cystic fibrosis. You might also need a chest X-ray if you go to the emergency room with chest pain or if you’ve been involved in an accident that included force to your chest area.

A chest X-ray is an easy, quick, and effective test that has been useful for decades to help doctors view some of your most vital organs.

Your doctor could order a chest X-ray for a variety of reasons, including to assess injuries resulting from an accident or to monitor the progression of a disease, such as cystic fibrosis. You might also need a chest X-ray if you go to the emergency room with chest pain or if you’ve been involved in an accident that included force to your chest area. A chest X-ray is an easy, quick, and effective test that has been useful for decades to help doctors view some of your most vital organs.

These symptoms could be the result of the following conditions, which a chest X-ray can detect:

• Broken ribs
• Emphysema (a long-term, progressive lung condition that causes breathing difficulties)
• Heart failure
• Lung cancer
• Pneumonia
• Pneumothorax (a collection of air in the space between your lungs and your chest wall)

Your doctor may order a chest X-ray if they suspect that your symptoms have a connection to problems in your chest.

• Chest pain
• Fever
• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath

The X-ray occurs in a special room with a movable X-ray camera attached to a large metal arm. You will stand next to a “plate.” This plate may contain X-ray film or a special sensor that records the images on a computer. You’ll wear a lead apron to cover your genitals. This is because your sperm (men) and eggs (women) could be damaged from the radiation. The X-ray technician will tell you how to stand and will record both front and side views of your chest. While the images are taken, you’ll need to hold your breath so that your chest stays completely still. If you move, the images might turn out blurry. As the radiation passes through your body and onto the plate, denser materials, such as bone and the muscles of your heart, will appear white.

A lab usually develops the images from a chest X-ray on large sheets of film. When viewed against a lit background, your doctor can look for an array of problems, from tumours to broken bones. A radiologist also goes over the images and gives your doctor their interpretation. Your doctor will discuss the results of your X-ray with you at a follow-up appointment.