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What is a chest X-ray?
A chest X-ray is a picture of the chest that shows your heart, lungs, airway, large blood vessels, and lymph nodes. Chest X-rays can also show the bones of your spine and chest.
Why is a chest X-ray done?
A chest X-ray is done to:
- Help find the cause of common symptoms such as a cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
- Find lung conditions—such as pneumonia, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), collapsed lung (pneumothorax), or cystic fibrosis—and monitor treatment for these conditions.
- Find some heart problems, such as an enlarged heart, heart failure, and problems causing fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), and to monitor treatment for these conditions.
- Look for problems from a chest injury, such as rib fractures or lung damage.
- Find foreign objects, such as coins or other small pieces of metal, in the tube to the stomach (esophagus), the airway, or the lungs. A chest X-ray may not be able to see food, nuts, or wood fibers.
- See if a tube, catheter, or other medical device has been placed in the proper position in an airway, the heart, blood vessels of the chest, or the stomach.
How is a chest X-ray done?
Two X-ray views of the chest are usually taken. One view is taken from the back. The other view is taken from the side.
- You stand with your chest against an X-ray plate for the pictures.
- You will need to hold very still while the X-ray is taken. You may be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds.
How do you prepare for a chest X-ray?
In general, there's nothing you have to do before this test, unless your doctor tells you to.
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