Chest
X-rays produce images of your heart, lungs, blood vessels, airways, and the
bones of your chest and spine. Chest X-rays can also reveal fluid in or around
your lungs or air surrounding a lung.
If
you go to your doctor or the emergency room with chest pain, a chest injury or
shortness of breath, you will typically get a chest X-ray. The image helps your
doctor determine whether you have heart problems, a collapsed lung, pneumonia,
broken ribs, emphysema, cancer or any of several other conditions.
Some
people have a series of chest X-rays done over time to track whether a health
problem is getting better or worse.
Why
it's done
Chest
X-rays are a common type of exam. A chest X-ray is often among the first
procedures you'll have if your doctor suspects heart or lung disease. A chest
X-ray can also be used to check how you are responding to treatment.
A
chest X-ray can reveal many things inside your body, including:
·
The condition of your lungs. Chest X-rays can
detect cancer, infection or air collecting in the space around a lung, which
can cause the lung to collapse. They can also show chronic lung conditions,
such as emphysema or cystic fibrosis, as well as complications related to these
conditions.
·
Heart-related lung problems. Chest X-rays can
show changes or problems in your lungs that stem from heart problems. For
instance, fluid in your lungs can be a result of congestive heart failure.
·
The size and outline of your heart. Changes in the size
and shape of your heart may indicate heart failure, fluid around the heart or
heart valve problems.
·
Blood vessels. Because the outlines of the large
vessels near your heart — the aorta and pulmonary arteries and veins — are
visible on X-rays, they may reveal aortic aneurysms, other blood vessel
problems or congenital heart disease.
·
Calcium deposits. Chest X-rays can detect the presence
of calcium in your heart or blood vessels. Its presence may indicate fats and
other substances in your vessels, damage to your heart valves, coronary
arteries, heart muscle or the protective sac that surrounds the heart.
Calcified nodules in your lungs are most often from an old, resolved infection.
·
Fractures. Rib or spine fractures or other
problems with bone may be seen on a chest X-ray.
·
Postoperative changes. Chest X-rays are useful for
monitoring your recovery after you've had surgery in your chest, such as on
your heart, lungs or esophagus. Your doctor can look at any lines or tubes that
were placed during surgery to check for air leaks and areas of fluid or air
buildup.
·
A pacemaker, defibrillator or catheter. Pacemakers and
defibrillators have wires attached to your heart to help control your heart
rate and rhythm. Catheters are small tubes used to deliver medications or for
dialysis. A chest X-ray usually is taken after placement of such medical
devices to make sure everything is positioned correctly.
Risks
You
may be concerned about radiation exposure from chest X-rays, especially if you
have them regularly. But the amount of radiation from a chest X-ray is low —
even lower than what you're exposed to through natural sources of radiation in
the environment.
Even
though the benefits of an X-ray outweigh the risk, you may be given a
protective apron if you need multiple images. Tell your doctor if you're
pregnant or might be pregnant. The procedure can be performed in a way to
protect your abdomen from the radiation.
How
you prepare
Before
the chest X-ray, you generally undress from the waist up and wear an exam gown.
You'll need to remove jewelry from the waist up, too, since both clothing and
jewelry can obscure the X-ray images.
What
you can expect
During
the procedure, your body is positioned between a machine that produces the
X-rays and a plate that creates the image digitally or with X-ray film. You may
be asked to move into different positions in order to take views from both the
front and the side of your chest.
During
the front view, you stand against the plate, hold your arms up or to the sides
and roll your shoulders forward. The X-ray technician may ask you to take a
deep breath and hold it for several seconds. Holding your breath after inhaling
helps your heart and lungs show up more clearly on the image.
During
the side views, you turn and place one shoulder on the plate and raise your
hands over your head. Again, you may be asked to take a deep breath and hold
it.
Having
X-rays taken is generally painless. You don't feel any sensation as the
radiation passes through your body. If you have trouble standing, you may be
able to have the exam while seated or lying down.
Results
A
chest X-ray produces a black-and-white image that shows the organs in your
chest. Structures that block radiation appear white, and structures that let
radiation through appear black.
Your
bones appear white because they are very dense. Your heart also appears as a
lighter area. Your lungs are filled with air and block very little radiation,
so they appear as darker areas on the images.
A
radiologist — a doctor trained to interpret X-rays and other imaging exams —
analyzes the images, looking for clues that may suggest if you have heart
failure, fluid around your heart, cancer, pneumonia or another condition.
Your own doctor will discuss
the results with you as well as what treatments or other tests or procedures
may be necessary
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