Introduction
Chest X-rays are used in diagnosing systemic conditions. With the help of X-rays, doctors can suspect diseases in vital organs like the heart and lungs, hard structures like ribs and the spine, and soft tissues like blood vessels. Before taking other scans, medical professionals prefer X-rays as an interpreting diagnostic tool. An X-ray is produced by radiation at a particular frequency.
What Are the Uses of Chest X-Rays?
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Pleural Effusion - The pool of fluid collected in the chest cavity is revealed with the help of X-rays. This condition is called pleural effusion.
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Cardiomyopathy - The size, shape, and structure of the organs, like the heart and lungs, are observed. Because any alteration in the structure of these organs in the X-rays shows the initial signs of lung or heart disease; for example, cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart size is enlarged.
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Restrictive Lung Disease - The location of the lungs in the chest cavity behind the ribs is carefully monitored using X-rays by medical professionals. The constriction or stiffness of the lungs can be determined using X-rays. The condition is called restrictive lung disease.
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Aneurysm - Main arteries like the aorta and pulmonary arteries are important for the blood flow to the organs like the heart and lungs. Any abnormality or inflammation in the blood vessels can be noticed using X-rays. This condition is called an aneurysm.
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Fracture in Ribs - Motorcycle accidents, injuries during paragliding, and mountain climbing can fracture the ribs. These fractures can be interpreted in chest X-rays.
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Postoperative Use of an X-Ray - It is useful to track lung or heart diseases and to diagnose whether the body responds well to the treatment procedure performed earlier.
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Calcifications - The calcium deposits in the heart valves or blood vessels damage the heart and reduces its pumping efficiency. These calcific nodules present over the heart tissue can be identified with chest X-rays.
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Hernia - The position of the diaphragm is analyzed using X-rays. If there is a displacement of the diaphragm, it indicates a sign of a hernia.
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Tumor - The abnormal growth of tissues in the airways and lungs is called lung cancer. The tumor is diagnosed using X-rays.
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Medical Devices - The pacemakers are connected to the heart to regulate the heart rate. The patient undergoing dialysis has a flexible tube called a catheter attached to them for distributing the medicines. The position of the medical devices like pacemakers and catheters are reviewed by the medical professionals using chest X-rays after placement.
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Surgery - During the insertion of the needle in the thoracentesis procedure or during the drainage of air or fluid with a tube insertion in pneumothorax, X-rays are used to identify the position of the tools during the surgery.
What Are the Limitations of Using a Chest X-Ray?
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X-rays must be taken only on the advice of medical professionals. The patient may be exposed to radiation, so take X-rays only if it is essential.
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Chest X-rays cover only the upper part of the body. Though the radiation of chest X-rays is low, pregnant patients must not be exposed to X-rays because X-rays may affect the development of the fetus.
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If a series of X-rays are taken to monitor the symptoms, the patient will be continuously exposed to the radiation. It may affect patients with weak immune systems.
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Continuous exposure to the X-rays may damage the reproductive mechanism because the radiations affect the nature of sperm in males and eggs in females.
What Are the Instructions to Follow During an X-Ray Imaging?
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Remove the metallic things like watches and gold ornaments as they remain as a hindrance for the X-rays to pass through the body.
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The patients are advised to wear a green or blue gown given in the hospital while imaging because this thin gown allows the rays to pass through the hard and soft tissue of the body easily.
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The patient must wear a protective covering for other structures to avoid exposure. For example, the abdomen can be protected from X-rays using a lead apron.
What Are the Advantages of a Chest X-Ray?
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It is cost-effective compared to other diagnostic methods like CT (computed tomography) scans and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.
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Patients with pacemakers are contraindicated from taking an MRI scan due to the magnetic field. In that case, X-rays can be used.
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The radiation level of CT scans and MRIs is comparatively higher than the radiation level of X-rays.
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The patient who has done surgery might have discomfort standing for a longer period. Since X-rays take only three to five minutes, it is a comfortable and quick procedure.
How Is the Chest X-Ray Procedure Performed?
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A consent form must be signed by the patient before imaging the chest X-rays. Read the complete form and sign it appropriately.
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There are no restrictions on eating or drinking for imaging chest X-rays. Also, the patient need not stop the blood-thinning medications.
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Chest X-ray imaging can be performed in a sitting or standing position. The patient is positioned before an X-ray plate.
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After taking a deep breath, the shoulders must be pushed forward. It is held in the same position until the X-rays are imaged. Listen to the instructions of the operator carefully. The operator will stand behind the wooden wall during imaging.
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Inform the operator if the patient is unable to hold his breath for a longer period.
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Standing still is very important during X-ray imaging because motion affects the quality of the image.
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During imaging of the side angle of the chest, the patient is asked to turn sideways with the hands lifted above the head for a clear image.
Conclusion
Chest X-rays are taken before the surgery involving the chest cavity. It is also used to observe the prognosis of the condition after the surgery. So a series of X-rays are taken periodically to monitor the symptoms of the systemic conditions. Chest X-rays are simple procedures that do not require any sedation. No additional care is required after the X-ray imaging.
