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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 Southfield
Nearby Southfield Hospitals * St John Providence Hospital Southfield  Straith Hospital For Special Surgery  Oakland Regional Hospital  William Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak  Botsford Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital Northwest Detroit  Sinai-Grace Hospital  Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital  DMC Surgery Hospital  St John Macomb-Oakland Hospital Oakland Center  Southeast Michigan Surgical Hospital  St Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital  St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital Pontiac  Hawthorn Center  Garden City Hospital  POH Regional Medical Center  Doctors' Hospital of Michigan  Henry Ford Hospital  St John Macomb-Oakland Hospital Macomb Center  William Beaumont Hospital Troy  Havenwyck Hospital  Henry Ford Macomb Hospital Warren Campus  John D Dingell VA Medical Center  Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute  Detroit Receiving Hospital  Harper University Hospital  Hutzel Women's Hospital  Children's Hospital of Michigan  Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center  Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan  Walter P Reuther Psychiatric Hospital  St John Providence Park Hospital  Crittenton Hospital Medical Center  Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital  Oakwood Annapolis Hospital  Vibra Hospital of Southeast Michigan  Henry Ford Macomb Hospital  Oakwood Heritage Hospital  St John Hospital & Medical Center  Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe Campus  Henry Ford Cottage Hospital  Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital  Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center  Henry Ford Macomb Mount Clemens  Select Specialty Hospital Macomb  St John North Shores Hospital  Forest Health Medical Center  Oakwood Southshore Medical Center  Select Specialty Hospital  St John Brighton Hospital  St Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital  VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System  C S Mott Children's Hospital  Harbor Oaks Hospital  University of Michigan Health System  Genesys Regional Medical Center 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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Congestive Heart Failure
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Lung Cancer
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Ovarian Cancer
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Pneumonia
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Tuberculosis
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Melanoma
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Oral Cancer
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Chronic Cough
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Heart Attack
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Polycythemia (High Red Blood Cell Count)
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Hodgkin's Disease
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Scleroderma
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Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
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Emphysema
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Pulmonary Fibrosis
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Anal Cancer
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Pleurisy (Pleuritis)
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Heart Murmur
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Pulmonary Edema
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Pneumothorax
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Male Breast Cancer
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