Definition
A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.
Aortic rupture, chest X-ray
Lung cancer, frontal chest X-ray
Adenocarcinoma - chest X-ray
Coal worker's lungs - chest X-ray
Coccidioidomycosis - chest X-ray
Coal workers pneumoconiosis - stage II
Coal workers pneumoconiosis - stage II #2
Coal workers pneumoconiosis, complicated
Coal workers pneumoconiosis, complicated #2
Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays
Pulmonary nodule - front view chest X-ray
Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray
Sarcoid, stage IV - chest X-ray
Pulmonary mass - side view chest X-ray
Bronchial cancer - chest X-ray
Lung nodule, right middle lobe - chest X-ray
Lung mass, right upper lung - chest X-ray
Lung nodule - front view chest X-ray
Alternative Names
Chest radiography; Serial chest x-ray; X-ray - chest
How the test is performed
The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an x-ray technician. Two views are usually taken: one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from the back (posterior-anterior view), and one in which the x-rays pass through the chest from one side to the other (lateral view). You stand in front of the machine and must hold your breath when the x-ray is taken.
How to prepare for the test
Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. Chest x-rays are generally avoided during the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy (a trimester is a period of 3 months). You must wear a hospital gown and remove all jewelry.
How the test will feel
There is no discomfort. The film plate may feel cold.
Why the test is performed
A chest x-ray may be ordered when a person's symptoms include a persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, a chest injury, or difficulty in breathing. The test is also used when tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other chest or lung disease is suspected.
A serial chest x-ray (repeated or sequential) may be used to evaluate changes (for example, an increase in the size of an abnormality) found on a previous chest x-ray.
What abnormal results mean
In the lungs:
- Collapsed lung
- Collection of fluid around the lung
- Lung cancer
- Lung tumor
- Malformation of the blood vessels
- Pneumonia
- Scarring of lung tissue
- Tuberculosis
In the heart:
- Size and shape of the heart determined
- Position and shape of the large arteries
In the bones:
- Osteoporosis
- Fractures of ribs and spine
- Other abnormalities in the ribs and spine
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
- Achalasia
- Acute bronchitis
- Acute MI
- Acute mountain sickness
- Acute pulmonary eosinophilia (Loeffler’s syndrome)
- Adult Still’s disease
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Anthrax
- Aortic dissection
- Aortic insufficiency
- Aortic stenosis
- ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome)
- Asbestosis
- Aspergillosis
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Atelectasis
- Atrial myxoma
- Atrial septal defect
- Atypical mycobacterial infection
- Atypical pneumonia
- Blastomycosis
- Breast cancer
- Bronchial adenoma
- Bronchial asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Bronchiolitis
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Byssinosis (cotton dust)
- Caplan’s syndrome
- Cardiac tamponade
- Cerebral abscess
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic glomerulonephritis
- CMV pneumoconiosis
- Coal workers pneumoconiosis
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Coccidioidomycosis; acute (primary) pulmonary
- Coccidioidomycosis; chronic pulmonary
- Coccidioidomycosis; disseminated
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Disseminated tuberculosis (infectious)
- Drug-induced hypothyroidism
- Drug-induced lupus erythematosus
- Drug-induced pulmonary disease
- Echinococcus
- Emphysema
- Empyema
- Goodpasture’s syndrome
- Heart failure
- Histoplasmosis; acute (primary) pulmonary
- Histoplasmosis; chronic pulmonary
- Histoplasmosis; disseminated
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Hospital-acquired pneumonia
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypothyroidism; primary
- Hypothyroidism; secondary
- Idiopathic cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
- Industrial bronchitis
- Infective endocarditis
- Inhalation anthrax
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy
- Left-sided heart failure
- Legionnaire’s disease
- Lyme disease, secondary
- Malignant hypertension (arteriolar nephrosclerosis)
- Meningitis
- Mesothelioma (benign-fibrous)
- Mesothelioma (malignant)
- Metastatic brain tumor
- Metastatic cancer to the lung
- Metastatic pleural tumor
- Mitral regurgitation; acute
- Mitral regurgitation; chronic
- Mitral stenosis
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Mycoplasma pneumonia
- Myocarditis
- Necrotizing vasculitis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neurosarcoidosis
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Occupational asthma
- Patent ductus arteriosus
- Pericarditis
- Pericarditis; bacterial
- Pericarditis; post-MI
- Peripartum cardiomyopathy
- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
- Pneumonia in immunocompromised host
- Pneumonia with lung abscess
- Premature infant
- Primary alveolar hypoventilation
- Primary pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary actinomycosis
- Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
- Pulmonary aspergilloma (mycetoma)
- Pulmonary aspergillosis; allergic bronchopulmonary type
- Pulmonary aspergillosis; invasive
- Pulmonary edema
- Pulmonary embolus
- Pulmonary histiocytosis x (eosinophilic granuloma)
- Pulmonary nocardiosis
- Pulmonary valve stenosis
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease
- Q fever (early)
- Q fever (late)
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Respiratory distress syndrome (infants)
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatoid lung disease
- Right-sided heart failure
- Sarcoidosis
- Senile cardiac amyloid
- Silicosis (classical)
- Silicosis (acute)
- Skin lesion of histoplasmosis
- Solitary pulmonary nodule (benign)
- Spontaneous pneumothorax
- SVC obstruction
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)
- Tension pneumothorax
- Testicular cancer
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Transposition of the great vessels
- Traumatic pneumothorax
- Ventricular septal defect
- Viral pneumonia
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
- Wilms’ tumor
What the risks are
There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. Most experts feel that the risk is very low compared with the benefits. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of the x-ray.
| • | X-ray |
| • | Coughing up blood |
| • | Chest pain |
| • | Pulmonary tuberculosis |
| • | Lung cancer - small cell... |
| • | Lung disease |
| • | Pneumothorax |
| • | Pleural effusion |
| • | Arteriovenous malformation ... |
| • | Pneumonia |
Reviewed By: Jonathan Gross, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
