It is an imaging method that uses X-rays (X-rays). A certain dose of X-rays is passed through the body, which after passing through it is projected onto a special X-ray detector. The detector in most cases is photographic (X-ray) film.
X-ray examination is used to detect pathological changes in tissues, determine their location and possibly their size. It is most often used in case of bone injuries. In addition, X-rays can be used to image the respiratory system, teeth, the upper part of the digestive system.
Preparation for X-ray examination
- You must always tell the doctor you are pregnant.
- Only if you are having an examination of the digestive tract, you must fast and take a barium suspension (contrast material) before the examination.
- In other cases, there are no special recommendations.
Course of the X-ray examination
For the examination, the patient should expose the parts of the body to be x-rayed.
For lung x-rays, the patient is placed in a standing position between the x-ray film cassette and the lamp. For an examination of the digestive system, the patient is examined in a standing or sitting position. Sometimes pressure is applied to the abdominal wall.
For the examination of bones and joints in case of injuries that prevent the removal of clothing, it is not necessary to do so. The patient’s posture during the examination depends on the area to be examined, and is imposed by the doctor performing the examination.
X-ray examinations take several minutes.
Indications for X-ray examination
- Bone and joint injuries
- congenital defects of the skeletal system
- rheumatological diseases
- diseases of the chest area
- diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract, when there is no possibility or contraindications to endoscopy.
Radiological examination is relatively safe. The radiation dose absorbed during a single examination does not affect human health. The examination can be performed in any age group.
It should not be performed only in pregnant women.