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Chest X-rayRead the Chest X-ray article » What is a chest X-ray?A chest X-ray is a radiology test that involves exposing the chest briefly to radiation to produce an image of the chest and the internal organs of the chest. An X-ray film is positioned against the body opposite the camera, which sends out a very small dose of a radiation beam. As the radiation penetrates the body, it is absorbed in varying amounts by different body tissues depending on the tissue's composition of air, water, blood, bone, or muscle. Bones, for example, absorb much of the X-ray radiation while lung tissue (which is filled with mostly air) absorbs very little, allowing most of the X-ray beam to pass through the lung.
What is a shadow on a chest X-ray?Due to the differences in their composition (and, therefore, varying degrees of penetration of the X-ray beam), the lungs, heart, aorta, and bones of the chest each can be distinctly visualized on the chest X-ray. The X-ray film records these differences to produce an image of body tissue structures and these are shadows seen on the X-ray. The white shadows on chest X-ray represent more dense or solid tissues, such as bone or heart, and the darker shadows on the chest X-ray represent air filled tissues, such as lungs. How is the chest X-ray procedure performed?Patients obtaining a chest X-ray will often be requested to use an X-ray gown, and extra metallic objects such as jewelry are removed from the chest and/or neck areas. These objects can block X-ray penetration, making the result less accurate. Patients may be asked to take a deep breath and hold it during the chest X-ray in order to inflate the lungs to their maximum, which increases the visibility of different tissues within the chest. The chest X-ray procedure often involves a view from the back to the front of the body as well as a view from the side. The view from the side is called a lateral ... Recommended Reading Related to Chest X-rayWhat is microsporidiosis? What causes the disease?Microsporidiosis is a disease caused by infection with microscopic organisms called microsporidia. Microsporidia are eukaryotic parasites that must live within other host cells in which they can produce infective spores. These spores cause microsporidiosis, a disease which is primarily seen in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Microsporidiosis can cause infection of the intestine, lung, kidney, brain, sinuses, muscles, and eyes. Although there are over 1,200 species of microsporidia, the most prevalent pathogens (disease-causing agents) in humans include Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and Encephalitozoon intestinalis. How are microsporidia transmitted?Microsporidia spores are released from the stool and urine of infected animals. A number of animals, including insects, birds, and mammals, can serve a... Other Related Chest X-ray ArticlesEmergency Contact for Saint Peters
Nearby Saint Peters Hospitals * St John's Urgent Care Center Saint Peters  Barnes-Jewish St Peter's Hospital  St John's Mercy Urgent Care Center  Center Pointe Hospital  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in St Charles  Progress West HealthCare Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center at WingHaven  SSM St Joseph Hospital West  SSM St Joseph Health Center  SSM DePaul Health Center  St Luke's Hospital  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  SSM St Joseph Health Center Wentzville  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  St John's Mercy Medical Center  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  Northwest HealthCare  Shriners Hospital for Children  Des Peres Hospital  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  SSM St Clare Health Center  Christian Hospital NE  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  Forest Park Community Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  Lincoln County Medical Center  Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus  Kindred Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus  St Louis Children's Hospital  The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis  St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division  Saint Louis University Hospital  St Anthony's Medical Center  SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center  St Clare's Hospital  St Anthony's Health Center  Alton Memorial Hospital  St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus  Jersey Community Hospital  St John's Mercy Hospital  Gateway Regional Medical Center  St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks  Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital  Touchette Regional Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Oral Cancer
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Chronic Cough
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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