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Chest x-ray

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Definition:

A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.

Alternative Names:

Chest radiography; Serial chest x-ray; X-ray - chest

How the test is performed:

The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an x-ray technician. Two views are usually taken: one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from the back (posterior-anterior view), and one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from one side to the other ( lateral view). You stand in front of the machine and must hold your breath when the x-ray is taken.

How to prepare for the test:

Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. Chest x-rays are generally avoided during the first six months of pregnancy. You must wear a hospital gown and remove all jewelry.

How the test will feel:

There is no discomfort. The film plate may feel cold.

Why the test is performed:

A chest x-ray may be ordered when a person's symptoms include a persistent cough, coughing up blood , chest pain , a chest injury, or difficulty in breathing. The test is also used when tuberculosis , lung cancer , or other chest or lung disease is suspected.

A serial chest x-ray (repeated or sequential) may be used to evaluate changes (for example, an increase in the size of an abnormality) found on a previous chest x-ray.

• Review Date: 7/18/2007
• Reviewed By: Stuart Bentley-Hibbert, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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