An X-ray examination
uses electromagnetic radiation to make images of your
bones, teeth and internal organs. Simply put, an X-ray
allows your doctor to take pictures of the inside of
your body.
One of the oldest forms of medical imaging, X-ray
is a painless medical test that can help in diagnosis
and treatment — even in emergency situations.
It's a fast, easy and safe way to view and assess conditions
ranging from broken bones to pneumonia to cancer. Many
different types of X-rays, such as bone or chest X-rays,
exist.
X-rays are safe and effective for people of all ages,
even young children. X-rays are particularly useful
for examining the chest, bones, joints and abdomen.
Your doctor may recommend an X-ray for many different
reasons. For example, an X-ray exam may be used to:
- Determine whether a bone is chipped, dislocated
or broken (fractured)
- Evaluate joint injuries and
bone infections
- Diagnose and monitor the progression
of degenerative conditions, such as arthritis and
the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis
- Screen for
lung and heart diseases
- Find and treat artery blockages
- Diagnose the cause
of persistent coughing or chest pain
- Check for broken
ribs or a punctured lung
- Evaluate abdominal pain
- Locate objects that may
have been accidentally swallowed by a child
- Determine
whether you have injured a bone or disk in your spine
- Detect scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the
spine, and other spinal defects
- Evaluate infection
of the sinuses (sinusitis)
X-ray exams also play an important role in the detection
and diagnosis of cancer. In fact, one use of X-ray
in diagnosing cancer is to see whether you have lung
cancer or whether cancer from another part of the body
has spread (metastasized) to the lungs. Cancer may
appear lighter in color on X-ray films than does normal,
healthy lung tissue. X-rays may also be used to examine
cancers of the intestines, stomach, liver, spleen,
kidneys and breasts.
Back to Services |
