Depending on the circumstance, another imaging test might be used to avoid radiation.
If you regularly take medication and are required to fast before an X-ray, take the medicine only with a small sip of water.
Wear loose clothing that you can easily remove, such as a button-up shirt and even a front-clasping bra for women. If you are receiving a chest X-ray, you will normally undress from the waist up. In this case, you will get a gown to wear during the exam.
Also, remember to bring a signed form from your doctor (if you have one) when you visit the X-ray technician. This form tells the technician what areas of the body are being examined and what X-ray test should be done. Don’t forget your insurance card.
Drink a solution of barium or iodine. Swallow a pill. Receive an injection
The X-ray technician will position your body between the machine and a plate that creates the digital image. Sometimes sandbags or pillows might be used to hold you in a certain position. You may be asked to move in different positions so front and side views can be captured.
Shortness of breath, bad or persistent cough, and chest pain or injury. It can also be used for diagnosing or monitoring conditions such as pneumonia, heart failure, emphysema, lung cancer, and fluid or air around the lungs. If your doctor recommends that you should get a chest X-ray, no special preparation is required – just follow the steps mentioned above. A chest X-ray takes about 15 minutes and often requires two views of the chest to be taken.
A bone X-ray can also be used to screen for bone cancer or other tumors, or to locate foreign objects in soft tissues around and/or in the bones. If your doctor orders a bone X-ray, no special preparation is required – just follow the steps mentioned above. Bone X-rays typically take about five to ten minutes to complete. When getting a bone X-ray, an image of the unaffected limb may be taken for comparison.
This type of procedure uses a special X-ray called fluoroscopy, which helps to visualize the internal organs in motion. [11] X Research source Be prepared to take a barium contrast solution prior to the exam. In some cases, you may also need to take baking soda crystals to further improve the X-ray images. An upper GI tract X-ray helps diagnose symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, chest and abdominal pain, acid reflux, unexplained vomiting, severe indigestion, and blood in the stool. [12] X Research source It can be used to detect conditions such as ulcers, tumors, hernias, intestinal blockage, and inflammation. [13] X Research source If your doctor orders an upper GI tract X-ray, you typically need to fast for eight to 12 hours prior to the test. Also, remember to empty your bladder before the exam if possible. This type of X-ray test takes about 20 minutes to complete. This examination could also make you feel bloated and you might experience constipation or your stool might turn gray or white from the contrast medium for 48 to 72 hours after the procedure. [14] X Research source
A lower GI tract X-ray is used to diagnose symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, blood in stool, constipation, unexplained weight loss, bleeding and abdominal pain. Your doctor can use a lower GI tract X-ray to detect benign tumors, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, or blockage of the large intestine. If your doctor orders a lower GI tract X-ray, you are required to fast after midnight and to only drink clear liquids such as juice, tea, black coffee, cola, or broth. You may also need to take a laxative to clean out your colon the night before the exam. Also, remember to empty your bladder before the exam if possible. A lower GI tract X-ray takes about 30-60 minutes to complete. You may feel abdominal pressure or minor cramping. After the exam, you will be given a laxative to wash the barium out of your system. [15] X Research source
Indirect arthrography requires contrast material to be injected into the blood stream. Direct arthrography requires contrast material to be directly injected into the joint. The procedure can be done to look for abnormalities, pain or discomfort in the different joints in your body. Arthrography may also be done using computed tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If your doctor orders an arthrography, no special preparation is required – just follow the steps mentioned in the first section. In some cases you may need to fast, but only if you are getting a sedative. An arthrography usually takes about 30 minutes. You will experience a pinprick and may feel burning if an anesthetic is used to numb the joint area. You may also feel pressure or pain when the needle is injected into the joint. [17] X Research source
