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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 Sunnyvale
Nearby Sunnyvale Hospitals * El Camino Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center  VA Palo Alto Health Care System  O'Connor Hospital  Santa Clara Valley Medical Center  El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos  Lucile Packard Children's Hospital  Stanford Hospital & Clinics  Menlo Park Surgical Hospital  Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose  Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks  Regional Medical Center of San Jose  Fremont Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center  Washington Hospital  Sequoia Hospital  Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center  San Mateo Medical Center  St Rose Hospital  Mills Hospital  Eden Medical Center  Mills-Peninsula Health Services  Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System  Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus  John George Psychiatric Pavilion  ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton  San Leandro Hospital  Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area  Valley Memorial Hospital  Dominican Hospital  Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center  Seton Medical Center Coastside  San Ramon Regional Medical Center  Alameda Hospital  Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center  Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus  Seton Medical Center  Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus  San Francisco General Hospital  St Luke's Hospital  Watsonville Community Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland  Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland  Saint Louise Regional Hospital  Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center  California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus 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
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
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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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Stomach Cancer
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Sarcoidosis
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Acute Bronchitis
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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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Cystic Fibrosis
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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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Pleural Effusion
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Male Breast Cancer
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