X-ray is the name of the procedure as well as the name of the beams that are sent through the body. A portion of the x-rays are absorbed or scattered by the internal structures and the remaining x-ray pattern is transmitted to a detector as a recorded image that can be evaluated later. It is used to assess the presence or absence of disease, foreign objects, and structural damage or abnormality.
Seeing Beyond the Surface: Your Health Revealed with X-Ray Precision.
What to expect during an X-ray
A Technologist may ask you to wear a gown, depending on what part of the body they intend to scan. You will be asked to remove any jewelry, belts, or other metallic objects that can interfere with the image quality.
You will then be positioned in the best position for your particular scan. This could be sitting, standing or lying down.
A typical X-ray takes under 10 minutes to complete.
Benefits
- When an individual has a medical need, the benefit of radiography far exceeds the small cancer risk associated with the procedure. Even when radiography is medically necessary, it should use the lowest possible exposure and the minimum number of images.
- In most cases many of the possible risks can be reduced or eliminated with proper shielding.
Risks
- As with all radiological testing, x-ray carries some risk. The radiation dose the patient receives varies depending on the individual procedure, but is generally less than with a CT or similar procedure.
- The exposure to radiation may cause a small increase in a person’s lifetime risk of developing cancer.
- Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant should notify their Technologist as radiation even in small doses during pregnancy can disrupt development of an embryo.
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