Chest X-ray

It is performed when an individual has dyspnea and possibly also severe and/or persistent cough, chest pain, chest pain caused by trauma, and fever. Thanks to the reproductions that a chest x-ray is able to provide, doctors can examine: 

• Lungs: the chest X-ray allows to diagnose various morbid states, including: lung infections, cystic fibrosis, lung carcinomas, pulmonary emphysema, pneumothorax,etc. 
• Heart: it can detect any cardiac abnormalities or malformations, such as valve defects or a condition called cardiac tamponade. It is also used to evaluate cardiac or pulmonary changes after surgery. The placement of pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, or cardiac catheters.

The patient is positioned between the instrument that emits ionizing radiation (behind) and the photographic plate or digital detector for recording radiation (in front, in direct contact with the chest).

The outgoing radiation reaches the chest of the individual under examination and, depending on the absorption of the various anatomical structures, is reflected on the plate with different shades. For example, the bones are white because they absorb a lot of radiation, while the lungs appear black because they absorb little radiation. In most cases, the examination is performed standing up, but in certain circumstances, it can also be performed lying down, on a bed specially designed for this purpose.