Overview

An X-ray is a quick and pain-free procedure that uses electromagnetic energy beams to create images of the organs and tissues of your body. These images depict the parts of your body in multiple shades of black and white because different tissues absorb radiation in different ways; bones appear white, lungs appear black, and fat and muscles appear grey on X-rays. This imaging test can help diagnose fractures, search for wounds or infections, and find foreign objects in soft tissue.

For various types of X-rays, a special dye known as contrast material is required to help highlight the parts of your body being scanned and enhance the clarity of the images. Contrast materials may be ingested, administered intravenously, or given as an enema.

Why would I need an X-ray test?

Your doctor may recommend an X-ray to measure your bone density and look for fractures and infections in bones and teeth. They may also use it to examine your chest and look for lung infections or conditions (such as pneumonia and lung cancer), breast cancer, or heart failure. They may also recommend an X-ray to look for digestive tract problems or pinpoint the location of swallowed items.

How to prepare for an X-ray, and what does it involve?

Our doctor will most likely ask you to remove any clothing or jewelry that would prevent the body part being examined from being exposed and wear a hospital gown. You will receive detailed instructions from the doctor because different X-rays require different preparations.

The body part being imaged will be positioned by our technologist between the X-ray machine and a cassette containing the specialized image plate. You will need to still and occasionally hold your breath during the X-ray exposure to prevent blurry images.

When the equipment is turned on, X-rays enter the body and, depending on the radiological density of the tissues they pass through, are absorbed in various amounts by various tissues. A safe amount of radiation is emitted from the machine, and travels through your body and captures an image on a specialized plate.

What happens after an X-ray test?

You can leave and resume your regular schedule once the X-ray is completed. X-rays often have no side effects. However, if you receive a contrast medium injection before your X-rays, you should drink plenty of water to help your body flush it out.

X-rays are digitally stored on computers and can be quickly seen on the screen. The results will be viewed and interpreted by our radiologist, who will send our doctor a report explaining the results. The doctor will then call you or schedule an appointment to discuss the findings.