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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 South Whittier
Nearby South Whittier Hospitals * Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital  Whittier Hospital Medical Center  Metropolitan State Hospital  Kindred Hospital La Mirada  Norwalk Community Hospital  Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital  Beverly Hospital  Downey Regional Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center  Greater El Monte Community Hospital  College Hospital Cerritos  Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center  BHC Alhambra Hospital  Bellflower Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Baldwin Park  La Palma Intercommunity Hospital  St Jude Medical Center  Monterey Park Hospital  Vista Specialty Hospital of San Gabriel Valley  City of Angels Medical Center Ingleside Campus  Garfield Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Brea  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus  Citrus Valley Medical Center Queen of the Valley Campus  Tri-City Regional Medical Center  Los Angeles Community Hospital  East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital  Lakewood Regional Medical Center  Doctor's Hospital West Covina  St Francis Medical Center  West Anaheim Medical Center  Anaheim Regional Medical Center  Anaheim General Hospital  San Gabriel Valley Medical Center  Alhambra Hospital Medical Center  Community Hospital of Huntington Park  Los Alamitos Medical Center  Kindred Hospital San Gabriel Valley  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles  LAC + USC Medical Center  LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital  Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center  USC University Hospital  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center  Methodist Hospital  White Memorial Medical Center  Citrus Valley Medical Center Inter Community Campus  Western Medical Center Anaheim  City of Hope National Medical Center  Placentia-Linda Hospital  Aurora Las Encinas Hospital  Community Hospital of Long Beach  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center  Miller Children's Hospital  Pacific Alliance Medical Center  VA Long Beach Healthcare System  Huntington Hospital  Kaiser Mental Health Center  Pacific Hospital of Long Beach  Aurora Charter Oak Hospital  California Hospital Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Westminster  Barlow Respiratory Hospital  Orthopaedic Medical Center  Good Samaritan Hospital  University Of California Irvine Medical Center  Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center  Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center  St Mary Medical Center  St Vincent Medical Center  San Dimas Community Hospital  East Valley Hospital Medical Center  Foothill Presbyterian Hospital  Memorial Hospital of Gardena 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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