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At Somerset
pulmonary and sleep
medicine center, we
perform our own chest x-ray
test which
covers the chest, lungs, heart, large
arteries, and diaphragm.
We have qualified x-ray technicians that
perform the tests. 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 1st
and 2nd trimesters of
pregnancy (a trimester is a period of 3 months).
You must wear a hospital gown
and remove all jewelry.
How to prepare for the test:
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.
Risks:
There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount
of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. Most experts feel that the risk is very low
compared with the benefits. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of the x-ray
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