Chest X-Ray

What to Expect

During the Procedure

• Description of the room, monitoring devices, positions, and equipment that will be used - There may be a table in the room, and there will be a large x-ray camera suspended from the ceiling that can be moved in many directions in order to obtain various views. Portable x-ray equipment can be used to make films on patients in other areas of the hospital, such as the operating room, the emergency department, or the intensive care unit.
  
  
• Anesthesia - None required.
  
  
• Position during the procedure - A chest x-ray may be performed in a standing, sitting, or lying position, depending on the condition of the patient. For a standing or sitting film, you will stand or sit in front of an x-ray plate. The technician will position you properly in front of the plate, and then will step away to the controls of the machine. You will be asked to take in a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds while the x-ray exposure is made.
  
  In some situations, the physician may request a film made from a side angle. This procedure is the same as the one just described, except that you will stand or sit at a right or left angle to the x-ray plate and your arms will be raised out of the way.
  
  In the lying position, the plate is placed beneath you while you are lying on your back.
  
  
• Procedure time - It normally takes only a few minutes to obtain the films. However, events such as unexpected delays in previous procedures, inadequate exposure due to patient movement, insufficient intake of air in the lungs, or other factors may delay the start of your procedure or prolong the length of it.

After the Procedure

• Recovery - There is normally no recovery necessary after this procedure.
  
  
• Length of stay - No hospital stay is necessary, unless your physician determines that your condition required further observation or hospital admission.
  
  
• Recuperation time - There should be no recuperation time associated with this procedure, unless another type of procedure has been done that might require a recuperation period. Your physician will give you any special instructions if they are required.
  
  
• Outcome - The results of the chest x-ray will be considered along with other factors relating to your condition. If your chest x-ray is normal but you are having signs or symptoms of possible cardiac problems, your physician will most likely schedule other diagnostic procedures based on your symptoms. If the x-ray reveals an abnormality such as an enlarged heart or abnormal heart, lung or lung vessel structures, your physician will most likely schedule other diagnostic procedures based on these findings.
  

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