Chest X-ray

What is it?

According to MedlinePlus: an X-ray is a painless medical imaging test that sends a small amount of radiation through the body to produce pictures of the bones and organs in shades of black, white and grey.

According to the NHS: an X-ray is a test that takes pictures of the inside of the body using a small amount of radiation. According to MedlinePlus chest X-rays show the lungs, heart and chest bones.

Why is it done?

According to MedlinePlus the doctor may request it for symptoms such as persistent cough, chest pain from an injury or heart problem, coughing up blood, shortness of breath and fever. It is also requested when tuberculosis, lung cancer or other diseases of the chest or lungs are suspected, and for follow-up after changes seen on a previous image.

According to NIBIB X-rays are used to detect fractures, tumours, pneumonia, foreign objects and dental problems.

Preparation

According to MedlinePlus tell your care provider if you are pregnant, as chest X-rays are generally avoided during pregnancy and special precautions are taken if needed. According to NIBIB tell the team in advance if you are pregnant or think you might be.

According to the NHS, in a general X-ray you may be asked to remove metal items (jewellery, clothing with zips or buttons, bras, hair clips). Tell the team about medicines and allergies and whether you are breastfeeding. These are general points for X-rays and not specific to the chest.

According to MedlinePlus: preparation is usually simple, and you may wear a protective lead apron.

How is it done?

According to MedlinePlus: you stand in front of the X-ray machine and take a breath in and hold it when the image is taken. Usually two images are taken: facing the machine and then from the side.

According to the NHS: the imaging is carried out by a radiographer who positions the machine and the patient and then takes the images, and an X-ray takes a few minutes.

According to MedlinePlus: there is no pain, and you may feel the coldness of the imaging plate. The team sends your images to a radiologist who reviews them and then informs your doctor, and you can resume your activity immediately.

Understanding the result

According to MedlinePlus abnormal results may indicate: lung conditions (collapsed lung, fluid collection, tumours, pneumonia, tuberculosis), or heart problems (the size or position of the heart, or signs of heart failure), or bone problems (rib fractures, osteoporosis), or widening of the mediastinum due to infection or tumours.

This is a list of possibilities mentioned in the source and is not a diagnosis, as the image alone does not determine the disease. According to the NHS results may arrive the same day or at an appointment after some weeks. Laboratories, guidelines and machines differ, so what applies is the test report and your doctor's interpretation.

Risks and side effects

According to MedlinePlus: radiation exposure is low, and machines are monitored and regulated to give the least radiation needed to produce the image. The benefits generally outweigh the risks, but pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of radiation.

According to MedlinePlus: the radiation of a chest X-ray is roughly equivalent to the natural radiation a person is exposed to from the environment over about 10 days.

According to NIBIB: X-rays are ionising radiation that may harm tissue, and among their risks is an increased probability of cancer, which rises with higher dose, multiple tests and younger age; skin burns and cataract occur rarely at very high exposures.

According to the NHS: with many X-rays there is a very small risk that the radiation might cause cancer. In tests where a dye is used, allergic reactions may occur with difficulty breathing, dizziness and rash, and serious complications are rare. This does not apply to an ordinary chest X-ray unless a dye is used.

Limits of the test

The pages that were read did not mention limits specific to chest X-rays, but their results are interpreted together with symptoms and other tests according to your doctor.

After the test

According to MedlinePlus the radiologist reviews the images and informs the care provider of the result, and follow-up images may be taken to monitor a change seen in a previous image. What follows is decided by your doctor.

Common questions