X-ray examination of the chest. Chest x-ray: indications, technique and results. Benefits and risks of a chest x-ray

Chest X-ray is a research method that makes it possible to assess the state of the body and the presence of pathologies in the chest area. Research is carried out by passing ionizing (X-ray) radiation through the body. Radiography is one of the most common and effective methods for diagnosing a disease and monitoring treatment.

Radiography is widely used in the fields of traumatology and pulmonology. It helps to assess the condition of those organs that are visible on the x-ray, for example:

  • lungs and bronchi;
  • hearts;
  • lymph nodes in the chest area;
  • ribs.

The advantages are high efficiency and the ability to establish the location, size and severity of the onset of the disease. Such properties of the method are provided by the way chest images are taken. Doctors often prescribe x-rays in two projections. What is a chest x-ray in two projections? This is a picture of the chest from the front (or back) and sides. This method establishes the exact size and shape of the deviation.

Patients often have a question about the difference between an X-ray of the ribs of the chest and fluorography, and which research method is better to choose. Both x-ray and fluorography consists in passing an x-ray beam through the area under study and then fixing the image on a special film (during fluorography, sometimes the image appears on the screen).

The difference lies in the following factors:

  1. For fluorography, a higher radiation dose is used (0.5 mSv per procedure for conventional fluorography versus 0.3 mSv for radiography, 0.05 mSv for a digital analogue versus 0.03 mSv for digital radiography). To clarify, the annual maximum exposure dose for an adult is 2-3 mSv, for a child - 1 mSv. For this reason, fluorography is not recommended more than once a year, while x-rays can be prescribed several times.
  2. The price of a fluorography is lower than an x-ray, so hospitals and clinics often prefer the first procedure.
  3. X-ray gives a more accurate picture of the development of the disease, more informative when conducting a directed study of a specific area.

The disadvantages of radiography are as follows:

  1. Static image, which makes it difficult to consider the body completely.
  2. Harmful effects of radiation. A high dose of X-rays passed through the body can increase the risk of cancer.
  3. Lower efficiency compared to and .

Indications

X-rays are prescribed to establish the primary diagnosis. If there is a suspicion of a disease of a particular organ, a local image is taken. For a preventive study or the need for a more general analysis, an overview image is assigned.

Indications for radiography are:

  1. Prolonged cough.
  2. Pain in the chest, back, upper limbs.
  3. Isolation of sputum with impurities of pus and blood.
  4. An increase in body temperature of unknown etiology.
  5. Injury to the spine or ribs. Control after operations on these parts of the body.
  6. Incorrect development of the skeleton.
  7. Suspicion of the development of oncological diseases.

Important! In order to prevent x-rays, people who work in hazardous enterprises, live in unfavorable environmental conditions, suffer from chronic lung diseases, and smokers with a long history should regularly undergo X-rays.

During the medical examination, people who have constant contact with children and food, working in medical institutions, must undergo x-rays.

Contraindications

X-rays are contraindicated in pregnant women, especially in the early stages. It can lead to a violation in the development of the fetus. After the birth of a child, there is no need to worry that x-rays will harm breastfeeding - there is no evidence of the effect of ionizing radiation on the composition of milk.

X-ray of the thoracic region for newborns and older children is not prohibited, but should be carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatrician and in the presence of strong indications, since the permissible radiation dose per year for a young organism is lower than for an adult. The child is not prescribed an x-ray as a preventive method. For children of the first year of life, X-rays are used only if there is no alternative. They try to replace it with other non-beam methods. Digital chest x-rays for children under 12 years of age should only be done under the supervision of an adult (parent or guardian).

Contraindications for radiography are as follows:

  1. Severe condition of the patient and severe blood loss.
  2. Hemopoiesis in a patient. X-ray radiation negatively affects the cells of the red bone marrow.
  3. Diseases of the thyroid gland and genital organs.
  4. Sensitivity or previous diseases of the lens of the eye. There is a possibility of cataracts.

In case of emergency, the procedure can be prescribed to people with the above contraindications. Be sure to check with your doctor before doing it!

How often can you do it, and how harmful is it?

Frequent x-rays can affect physical health. If it is possible to replace it with non-radiation studies, it is worth doing it. When prescribing fluoroscopy by the attending physician, you can refuse the procedure, then the responsibility for the state of health will lie with the patient.

Reference. An x-ray can start the process of tumor formation. Sex cells, epithelial cells, mucous membranes and red bone marrow cells suffer from exposure to ionizing radiation.

How often you can do a survey x-ray just for you, the attending physician or general practitioner will tell you. People who live in normal environmental conditions, are not exposed to harmful effects at work and do not have contraindications, are recommended to undergo the procedure once a year. If you are at risk, it is worth increasing the amount to 2 times a year. Patients treated in medical institutions, under the strict supervision of doctors, may be exposed to radiation several times a week.

Progress

Radiography does not require any preparation from the patient. Sometimes people worry about eating before a lung x-ray. Eating does not affect the completeness of the review.

There are two types of devices: for patients in a standing position and lying down. In the first case, a box with an X-ray tube and film is placed on the wall at a distance of 1.5 meters behind the person. The second case involves a suspended installation and a film under the patient's back.

Before the procedure, the doctor should ask you to undress to the waist, remove all metal objects from yourself and put on protective lead clothing that reflects radiation from all parts of the body except for the one being studied. The area of ​​the genitals and the thyroid gland requires special protection. After that, you need to go to the installation and lean your chest against the plate of the device. At the command of a doctor who is outside the office where the x-ray is performed, you need to breathe deeply, hold your breath for a few seconds, and do not move. In addition to a picture in a direct foreshortening, the doctor can make it in the side.

Sometimes an X-ray is required in an unusual projection: from behind, in the supine position (with hydrothorax), arched back (lordotic x-ray to view the upper part of the lungs. For example, if Pancoast tumor is suspected), while exhaling (with pneumothorax).

X-ray examination under normal circumstances takes a few seconds. It does not bring pain and does not cause discomfort. The doctor is obliged to indicate the dose of radiation received during the procedure in the medical record.

What does a chest x-ray show? How is an image created on film? Different organs and tissues absorb radiation differently. The bones block the rays, while the muscles and adipose tissue pass them well, which makes them invisible on the radiograph. The skeleton appears white in the image, the soft tissues around it are gray, and black airfields of the lungs are visible between the ribs.

Reference. Recently, more and more medical institutions are refusing to use film images, preferring digital files on a computer. This helps to simplify the processing and transmission of the received information.

Decryption

Deciphering images usually takes a few minutes. In difficult cases, the study can take up to several days. Immediately after the x-ray, the doctor makes a brief conclusion, including a description of the heart, lungs, bronchi, lymph nodes, blood vessels. The radiologist should note the factors due to which the patient was sent for an x-ray, as well as obvious deviations from the norm (darkening, foreign objects, changes in the shape and size of internal organs, tumors).

The correctness of the diagnosis will depend on how well the image is taken. During decoding, the doctor describes in detail the state of the organs, the structure of their tissues.

In the picture you can see various deviations in the chest area. Here is a description of the radiograph for some diseases:

  1. Pneumonia: a light spot in the region of the lungs, which stands out strongly against a dark background. This pattern is associated with swelling of the alveoli.
  2. Heart failure: the selection of light lines around the heart, as well as an increase in the size of the organ.
  3. Pneumothorax(excessive accumulation of air in the tissues or the presence of air in those tissues where it should not be. May be caused by mechanical damage, emphysema, etc.): a dark line near the chest wall. When exhaling, the amount of air will not decrease.
  4. Emphysema: an increase in the size and change in the shape of the lungs, an increase in the amount of air.

If these or any other abnormalities were not detected, then the radiography is considered normal, and the conclusion will reflect this. An x-ray photo of a healthy person does not contain extraneous shadows and spots, shows anatomical structures in a state and size within the normal range.

Conclusion

X-ray is not able to tell about the whole state of the body, about every shortcoming in the work of the organ, it is just an additional tool in the collection of methods for studying the human body. During his centuries-old existence, he saved many lives and rendered excellent service to the attending physicians. Do not forget about your health and prevention, regularly undergo examinations and, in case of any deviations, seek the advice of a doctor.

Radiography is the study of internal structures, which are projected using X-rays onto a special film or paper. Most often, X-rays are used in traumatology, but no less often it is used in pulmonology. A chest x-ray is used to diagnose and monitor treatment.

Patients do chest X-rays less often, but fluorography should be carried out every year for preventive purposes. Digital radiography has replaced the classical examination. Modern technologies provide clear images, eliminating the possibility of their distortion. And the main advantages of modern X-ray equipment are a lower radiation exposure to the patient.

Areas of use

Plain chest x-ray is an x-ray examination that allows you to get an idea not only about the condition of the lungs, but also about other structures of the upper half of the body: the heart, the anatomical space in the middle sections of the chest cavity, as well as the slit-like space between the parietal and visceral layers of the pleura.

Chest x-rays can detect the following:

  • pneumonia;
  • inflammatory disease of the pericardium, thickening of the myocardium, abnormal pathological changes in the heart;
  • pathological change in the lung tissue, characterized by its increased airiness;
  • oncopathology of the bronchi or lungs;
  • an increase in lymph nodes localized in the chest;
  • inflammation of the pleura with the formation of fibrous plaque on its surface or effusion inside it;
  • accumulation of air / gases or blood in the pleural cavity;
  • violation of the integrity of the ribs.

Radiography allows you to monitor the condition and operation of artificial pacemakers, implanted defibrillators and other medical devices. In addition, X-ray examination can be aimed at identifying certain pathologies of the thoracic spine.

An x-ray of the thoracic spine reveals the following pathologies:

  • structural and shaped changes in bone tissue;
  • incorrect position of the structural units of the spine;
  • curvature and decreased mobility of the joints;
  • possible complications after persistent displacement or violation of the integrity of the joints and bone structures;
  • pathology of bone tissue;
  • violations in the functioning of the intervertebral discs;
  • the presence of secondary foci of the oncological process;
  • metabolic diseases of the skeleton.

A separate place in radiology is occupied by fluoroscopy. It allows you to see the organs of the sternum during their working moment (in motion). All changes occurring in the chest at the time of diagnosis are recorded on the monitor.

Radiography is used to assess the healing process over time

Indications and contraindications

Focusing on the indications and preliminary diagnosis, the patient can be assigned an overview or local image. In the first case, it is possible to examine all the organs of the chest: the respiratory tract, lymph nodes, blood vessels, the windpipe and its branches, lungs and heart. A local x-ray gives an idea of ​​a particular organ or part of it. In this case, the lesion focus is visualized even more clearly, which significantly increases the diagnostic value of this method.

Chest x-ray is indicated in such cases: a set of symptoms, which is subjectively characterized by a feeling of lack of air, chronic cough, sputum with pus impurities, chest pain, experienced injuries affecting the sternum, febrile conditions of unknown etiology.

In addition, there are a number of symptoms when an x-ray of the thoracic spine is recommended:

  • discomfort in the sternum and upper limbs;
  • infectious diseases;
  • mechanical damage to the spinal column;
  • suspicion of oncopathology;
  • congenital, acquired or post-traumatic curvature of the spine;
  • anomalies in the development of the skeleton.

Radiography is mandatory after spinal surgery. However, radiography does not show soft tissues (muscles, ligaments). X-ray of OGK is contraindicated in such cases: it is strictly forbidden for women to perform an X-ray examination during childbearing, especially in the first trimester, for patients in extremely serious general condition, for patients with severe bleeding and open pneumothorax.

It is not recommended to take X-rays for people in a state of emotional arousal and increased physical activity (the quality of the images will be spoiled). X-ray examination has no age restrictions. The pediatrician decides on the need and expediency of performing an X-ray for a child, after consulting with other specialists. Radiation diagnostic methods performed for children have their own characteristics, which you can read about in more detail.

X-rays are far from the only source of radiation that patients have to deal with. In the course of research, it was calculated that the exposure that the body receives after one dose during an X-ray study is equal to the radiation load received from the usual ambient background radiation for 10 days.

Conducting a survey

An X-ray of the thoracic spine and chest X-ray is performed in a special X-ray room. Before the procedure, the patient is asked to remove all clothing up to the waist, as well as metal objects (watches, jewelry). Then he must position himself in front of a special shield containing a film cassette and press his chest against it. At the command of the radiologist, it will be necessary to take a deep breath, and in this state, hold your breath for a short time.

Features of X-ray OGK:

  • usually take pictures in two projections - direct and lateral;
  • one shot is taken in a few seconds, but a series of shots may take a little longer;
  • in the process of taking pictures, the patient does not experience discomfort or pain;
  • decoding and description of the results can be obtained within 30 minutes, and in some complex cases within 1-2 days.

A chest x-ray does not require any special preparation or diet. The main thing is that the patient does not have absolute contraindications for its implementation.


About five images are required to obtain a complete and reliable picture of the condition of the spine.

results

After receiving x-rays, the specialist makes a conclusion and a short description of what he saw. The explanation for the picture indicates the location of the heart, its size and characteristics of the tissues. In addition, the condition of bronchopulmonary structures, as well as blood vessels and lymph nodes, is described. If the picture shows the presence of foreign objects, blackouts or tumors, then this will certainly be reflected in the doctor's report.

What a chest x-ray shows: foci of blackout, fluid in the pleural cavity, pneumothorax (formation of an air cavity), linear and reticular changes, diffuse and local enlightenment, changes in the lung and root pattern. Pneumonia in the picture has a lot of intense shadows in two projections. Stagnation in the pulmonary circulation resembles the wings of a butterfly. And uneven darkening in the form of flakes can indicate hyperhydration of the lungs.

Frequency

How valid an X-ray is is a rather relative concept. The picture in the chest organs can change in a fairly short period of time. It is generally accepted that X-ray/fluorography should be performed once a year. But how often x-rays can be taken varies greatly in the case of different patients.

There are such groups:

  • Patients who are considered relatively healthy should not have x-rays more than once a year.
  • Patients who work in a hazardous enterprise, live in an unfavorable ecological zone, are long-term smokers, and can do x-rays no more than every six months.
  • Persons working in catering or constantly in contact with children should be exposed to X-ray exposure once every 6 months.
  • Patients suffering from severe pneumonia have to take X-rays 2-3 times a week.

X-ray is a radiation diagnostic method and if possible, it is best to avoid it. However, there are situations when it is urgently necessary to do it. X-ray of the chest and thoracic spine over the years does not lose its relevance and remains an important diagnostic method for making accurate diagnoses.

A chest x-ray is performed for suspected inflammatory (pneumonia), organic diseases (tumors), for traumatic lung injuries, when early diagnosis of the disease is required

Chest x-ray (CHX) - what is it or how is a lung x-ray done

Chest x-rays are performed annually on thousands of people. The study leads to radiation exposure of the population, but doctors prescribe fluorography, chest X-ray in all cases where the benefit of the diagnosis outweighs the harm.

Chest x-ray - what does it show

A chest x-ray is a diagnostic examination that shows the following anatomical structures:

1. Lung fields;
2. Heart shadow;
3. Bone skeleton of the chest;
4. Blood vessels;
5. Thoracic spine.

An x-ray is a summation image which is due to all the structures described above. To carefully understand where the norm is, and where the pathology is, practice is needed. Radiologists “look at” a lot of radiographs so that the eyes get used to distinguishing pathological shadows from physiological ones.

Radiography is a non-invasive test used to diagnose various diseases. The formation of images on the radiograph is determined not only by pathological shading, but also by the quality of exposure, styling.

Modern medical imaging is based not only on the performance of chest x-rays. Radiation diagnostic methods are used to obtain reliable data regarding the alleged disease.

The referral for radiography is prescribed by the attending physicians if the patient has the following symptoms:

Fever;
chest injury;
Cough and wheezing;
Confused breath.

Indications for a chest x-ray:

1. Emphysema;
2. Heart failure;
3. Pneumonia;
4. Cancer;
5. Pneumothorax

A chest x-ray is a procedure that exposes the patient to radiation. To reduce radiation from the patient, a number of important procedures are required:

Remove metal jewelry;
Dentures;
Glasses;
other metal objects.

Women must inform specialists about pregnancy or planning to bear a child.

Chest x-ray - what equipment is used

Modern equipment for chest x-rays involves reducing the radiation load on a person. Digital chest x-ray machines emit a thin beam, which is several rows. The final image is formed by analyzing the received image by the software.

Schematically, the X-ray apparatus can be divided into several blocks:

1. A device for installing a film or a special chip (for digital radiography);
2. X-ray tube - emitting x-rays;
3. Diagnostic table - for the location of the patient.

Most x-ray machines are limited in weight. Patients weighing more than 150 kilograms are not accepted for the study. Excess weight does not allow the examination table to move optimally.

During exposure, the x-ray beam passes through the patient's body through and through. Body tissues vary in density. Some of them intensely reflect the image, through the other rays it passes through.

Portable devices, which are used by some private centers, allow you to get an image at the patient's home. Such approaches are not justified. There are radiation safety standards for personnel and patients, according to which requirements for premises are established. Walls and ceilings of the research room should be protected with barite plaster. At home, it is impossible to ensure radiation safety conditions. Only in emergency cases, when it is not possible to deliver the patient to the X-ray room, X-ray is performed using a mobile unit.

X-rays are ionizing. After the next beam is emitted by the tube, air molecules are ionized. The state is saved for 5 seconds. During this time, the X-ray laboratory assistant performing the study cannot enter the treatment room.

How is a chest x-ray done?

There are 2 projections for performing chest radiography:

1. Posterior-anterior;
2. Anteroposterior.

For most patients with suspected pneumonia, cancer, tuberculosis, a posterior-anterior x-ray is performed, which allows you to most clearly distinguish between pathological darkening and enlightenment. Anterior-posterior projection is performed to study formations located mainly in the posterior sections of the lungs.

All alternative studies must be completed prior to performing the procedure. The radiologist, when describing the radiograph, studies the patient's medical history, which allows him to form the correct conclusion. Immediate negative effects under the influence of x-rays do not occur in humans. Multiple studies show long-term consequences that manifest themselves as a result of damage to the DNA molecule, the destruction of blood cells.

To avoid remote manifestations, it is necessary to optimally select the type of examination, projection, the need for repeated X-ray diagnostics. It is the radiologist's responsibility to answer these questions.

X-ray of OGK - what is it

Chest x-ray is a chest x-ray method that allows you to detect diseases of the upper respiratory tract at an early stage. The reliability and quality of the study is much lower than modern radiation methods - computed or magnetic resonance imaging. The level of radiation exposure is also less, so additional diagnostics of CT is carried out only after preliminary radiography.

Particular attention in the study is paid to the minimum exposure of a person with the maximum image quality.

Modern equipment is equipped with special automatic exposure meters that allow you to automatically select parameters during exposure. The technical filling helps to ensure exposure with minimal radiation exposure to the patient. Parts of the body that are not needed in the picture are shielded by the diaphragm. X-rays do not pass through them.

When Not to Do a Chest X-Ray

A chest x-ray does not show cancers smaller than 5 mm. The resolution of the study does not allow to identify formations that are summarily overlapped by intense shadows - the heart, bones.

On the x-ray, formations located on the border of tissues with high and low absorbing effect are well visualized. Not only differences in the composition of tissues, but also the absence of intense tissues in the path of the X-ray beam determines the quality of the image.

Defined in the rendering, the characteristics of the shadow determine. White shadows are well traced on the roentgenogram of a thorax. Bone tissue, heart shadow are not the main structures that are studied by radiologists. If pathological changes are found in this area, the specialist must indicate in the description.

How is a chest x-ray done for tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis on x-rays forms additional shadows in the upper lung fields. Typical localization of mycobacteria is the first, third, sixth segment. With active pulmonary tuberculosis, infiltrates of medium intensity are traced in the projection of the upper lung fields.

In children, chest radiographs may not show tuberculous changes in the lung fields. The main form of the disease is tuberculosis of the intrathoracic lymph nodes. Mycobacteria can exist for a long time inside the formations without external clinical symptoms. In such a situation, a chest x-ray is ineffective for making a diagnosis. Tuberculin test allows you to identify the hyperreactivity of the body. On the skin with pathology, a focus of redness up to several millimeters in size can be traced.

Chronic forms of tuberculosis are manifested by fibrous foci, caverns. These fragments may contain pathogens that are activated when the immune system is reduced.

Fibrous scars, nodules in tuberculosis provoke a positive tuberculin reaction. Calcified post-tuberculosis foci are less risky.

A chest x-ray for tuberculosis is done in a similar way, as in the verification of other pulmonary diseases. The infection is characterized by a long course, so X-rays are taken during treatment to track the dynamics.

Digital radiograph: testicular cancer metastases to the lungs

Photo of normal lungs

Examination time: 30 - 60 seconds, with the use of a contrast agent - 20 minutes.
Introduction of a contrast agent: according to doctor's instructions.
Training: no.
Contraindications: Yes.
Restrictions: weight, over 200 kg.
Conclusion: 15-20 minutes.
Research cost: from

chest x-ray- a diagnostic method that, using X-rays, allows you to get an image of the internal organs, blood vessels and lymphatic system of the chest, as well as the ribs and spine of the thoracic region.

Benefits of chest x-ray at SM-Clinic

For the study, modern X-ray equipment is used, which makes it possible to reduce the radiation dose by 5 times compared to traditional film fluorography. The high resolution and quality of the images allow the specialist to multiply the resulting image, which makes it possible to more accurately diagnose possible pathologies even at early stages.

The examination is carried out by Moscow radiologists with extensive experience. Specialists of "SM-Clinic" without fail take into account and adjust the dose of X-ray radiation depending on the structure of the body and the individual characteristics of each patient. High qualification allows the doctor to find the necessary balance in order to reduce the impact of the procedure on the body and at the same time obtain images of the required quality, correctly “read” the resulting image and make the correct diagnosis.

Why take a chest x-ray?

A chest x-ray is prescribed for preventive examinations and when indicated. Preventive x-ray examination can detect such dangerous diseases as tuberculosis and lung cancer. In the early stages, these diseases can be asymptomatic, so only timely diagnosis allows you to prescribe timely treatment.

X-ray in the "SM-Clinic" makes it possible to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary course of treatment if you suspect the following diseases:

Bronchitis and pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs). It is quite difficult to distinguish these diseases only by symptoms, without an x-ray, even after a medical examination. It is also necessary to take a chest x-ray so as not to confuse bronchial pneumonia with lung cancer or tuberculosis.

Various lung diseases, such as the:

  • lung abscess (cavities filled with pus are formed),
  • pleurisy (a disease of the lining of the lungs),
  • silicosis (occupational disease caused by prolonged inhalation of dust), etc. Chest X-ray allows you to make the correct diagnosis, identify foci and determine the severity of these diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases. Chest x-ray allows you to identify specific changes in the shape, size, position of the heart and its surrounding vessels.

Fractured ribs and/or lung damage as a result of various traumas. Radiography allows you to identify the level and nature of damage to the ribs and costal joints, as well as the surrounding vessels and soft tissues.

Curvature of the spine and diseases of the thoracic spine. Chest X-ray is one of the few methods that allows you to track changes in the shape and structure of the spine as a whole, as well as the structure of individual vertebrae.

Diseases of the lymphatic system. X-ray photography allows you to diagnose the condition of the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels: their shape, condition and patency.

Foreign objects. X-ray allows you to identify the size and location of foreign bodies that have penetrated into the tissues or organs of the respiratory apparatus, into the gastrointestinal tract, through a wound, when inhaled or swallowed.

Indications for a chest x-ray

To exclude the development and complication of the above diseases, the attending physicians of the SM-Clinic prescribe a chest x-ray for the following symptoms:
  • chest pain;
  • pain in the heart or arrhythmia;
  • painful breathing, shortness of breath, bouts of uncontrolled lack of air, bubbling breathing;
  • high blood pressure;
  • swelling;
  • sudden weight loss or loss of appetite;
  • dry cough or cough with abnormal sputum;
  • chest injury;
  • visible neoplasms of the chest area;
  • suspicion of contact with tuberculosis patients;
  • positive Mantoux reaction.

Contraindications

The modern equipment used in the SM-Clinic makes the chest X-ray procedure as safe as possible for an adult. However, experts recommend conducting this type of examination no more than 6 times during the year. In the presence of pregnancy (especially in the 1st trimester), radiography is prescribed only according to the doctor's indications. In the case of an appointment for an x-ray using a contrast agent, it is necessary to inform the doctor about the presence of allergic reactions.

Preparing for a chest x-ray

A chest x-ray does not require any special preparation. You don't need to change your diet or follow a special diet. X-rays are not allowed in the presence of metal objects on the human body, therefore it is necessary to remove all jewelry and watches before the procedure.

How a chest x-ray is done

The X-ray procedure at SM-Clinic is carried out in a specially equipped room. Most often, an x-ray is performed on inspiration (according to some indications, on exhalation). The study can be performed from the front, from the side, and also - for detailing individual areas - in various positions of the chest relative to the apparatus. If the diagnosis is prescribed during pregnancy, the stomach is closed with a protective apron. The procedure itself lasts less than a minute, after which the radiologist analyzes the data and issues a conclusion. Most often, to obtain objective data, X-rays are supplemented with ultrasound, computed and magnetic resonance imaging.

Survey results

In "SM-Clinic" a specialist radiologist will inform you of the results of the diagnosis within 15-20 after the procedure. You will receive the photographs and conclusion.

Chest X-ray, primarily the lungs, should be performed in each person annually. This study is quite simple, informative, but, unfortunately, it cannot always reveal pathology, as a result of which either an incorrect diagnosis can be made, or the patient will be released without a diagnosis at all. If it was possible to identify any deviations from the norm, then the patient will be assigned a more in-depth examination (computed tomography, bronchoscopy, etc.).

Chest X-ray is a method for diagnosing diseases of the organs of the chest cavity and adjacent anatomical structures using one of the types of ionizing radiation - x-rays.

In this case, there is no need to be afraid of the word "ionizing", since the doses received during the study are insignificant, their effect is short-term, and special methods of protecting other organs are used in the study. And modern digital devices generally allow you to reduce the dose to negligible values. In addition, modern equipment can display real-time images on the screen and the doctor can immediately examine the area of ​​interest more precisely, and not call the patient again, again exposing them to x-rays.

This type of research should not be confused with fluorography, which consists in fixing on a small-format x-ray film only shadows of organs and does not allow to clearly visualize the pathology, at best it can only be suspected. At the same time, a person receives radiation doses higher than with radiography, and the information content is lower. However, the cost of this type of study is much lower than that of x-ray, so this method continues to be used in some places.

In the correct version of the radiography pictures are taken in two projections: front and side, so you can visualize areas that are not visible in any of them and avoid that the pathology will be released from view. However, doctors and X-ray technicians who work in our hospitals and clinics are either unaware of this, or simply save materials and time by doing only direct projection. Hence, there are many cases when the pathology was missed, and then detected already at the later stages of the development of the disease.

No special preparation is required for the study. You just need to remove clothes from the upper body, remove all metal objects (chains, crosses) on the neck, and put on a special apron on the lower body to protect the internal organs from the rays. This is especially important for women of childbearing age, since there is a possibility that the radiation may affect the developing eggs, especially if the studies are performed frequently. In some cases, a special collar is put on the patient's neck, which protects the thyroid gland from radiation. If a woman has suspicions that she is pregnant, then it is better to postpone the study. until it is definitively established, since exposure to X-rays in the early stages of embryonic development can have disastrous consequences. Therefore, if pregnancy is still planned, it is advisable to perform an X-ray of the lungs in advance, so that in the future there will be no problems in the antenatal clinic when registering. If a woman is breastfeeding, then milk must be expressed before the study. so that there is something to feed the baby after the study, because all the milk that has been irradiated will need to be poured out, it is impossible to feed the baby with such milk ..

After the patient correctly stands at the X-ray machine, he will need to, at the doctor's command, take a deep breath and hold your breath, after which the study can be considered completed, it remains only to wait for the results, which, as a rule, can be obtained the next day, sometimes on the day of the study.

As a rule, an x-ray examination is prescribed once a year during preventive medical examinations, or, as they are commonly called, medical examinations. However, not all organizations are conscientious about the health of their employees and prefer to simply save on medical care. Therefore, a person must independently take care of his health and undergo this study voluntarily, especially in connection with the increased incidence of tuberculosis and lung tumors in recent years.

In addition, a chest x-ray may be prescribed if there are symptoms indicating the existence of diseases of the respiratory system, cardiovascular system and other organs:

The direction for the study is issued by a general practitioner in the district clinic, or it can be a voluntary decision of the patient, but then on a paid basis. Price research depends on the region and on the medical center, with St. Petersburg, for example, the figure is floating from 700 rubles to 1500 rubles.

There are a lot of radiological symptoms of diseases of the chest organs and only a radiologist can understand them, for an ordinary person, all radiographs may seem the same. If necessary, the doctor will recommend a second or more in-depth examination.

I conscientiously complete this study once a year., because, firstly, I live in a region that is unfavorable in terms of the incidence of tuberculosis, and secondly, due to my professional activities, I have periodic contacts with people suffering from bronchopulmonary diseases. It’s much easier for me to “take a picture” and then live in peace for a whole year than to walk and think at the slightest cough that I got sick with something serious.

This study does not cause me any inconvenience or negative consequences, but when the question arose of registering in the antenatal clinic for pregnancy, the doctor did not have the slightest question for me. But if a fresh examination of the lungs is not on hand, then at the beginning of labor, the ambulance can take the woman in labor to the observational maternity hospital, where women who have never been examined or women suffering from infectious diseases give birth. I don't think anyone needs it.


Whether or not to perform a chest x-ray is a personal matter for each person, to be afraid of x-rays or not is also. However, if you turn on sanity, then everything immediately falls into place.

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