Health Encyclopedia

Search the Health Encyclopedia

Chest x-ray

Definition

A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.

Alternative Names

Chest radiography; Serial chest x-ray; X-ray - chest

How the Test is Performed

You stand in front of the x-ray machine. You will be told to hold your breath when the x-ray is taken.

Two images are usually taken. You will first need to stand facing the machine, and then sideways.

How to Prepare for the Test

Tell the health care provider if you are pregnant. Chest x-rays are generally not done during pregnancy, and special precautions are taken if they are needed.

How the Test will Feel

There is no discomfort. The imaging plate may feel cold.

Why the Test is Performed

Your provider may order a chest x-ray if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • A persistent cough
  • Chest pain from a chest injury (with a possible rib fracture or lung complication) or from heart problems
  • Coughing up blood
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fever

It may also be done if you have signs of tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other chest or lung diseases.

A serial chest x-ray is one that is repeated. It may be done to monitor changes found on a past chest x-ray.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may be due to many things, including:

In the lungs:

In the heart:

  • Problems with the size, position or shape of the heart
  • Problems with the position, size and shape of the large arteries
  • Evidence of heart failure

In the bones:

In the mediastinum (middle part of the chest):

  • Enlargement, which might be related to infection or tumor

Risks

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 benefits outweigh the risks. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of x-rays.

References

Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Chest radiography (chest x-ray, CXR) - diagnostic norm. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:327-328.

Felker GM, Teerlink JR. Diagnosis and management of acute heart failure. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 49.

Jokerst CE, Gotway MB. Thoracic radiology: noninvasive diagnostic imaging. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.

Review Date:7/31/2022
Reviewed By:Denis Hadjiliadis, MD, MHS, Paul F. Harron, Jr. Professor of Medicine, Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.

Health Outcome Data

No data available for this condition/procedure.

Read More

Achalasia

Acute mountain sickness

Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Adult Still disease

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Anthrax

Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease

Aortic dissection

Aortic regurgitation

Aortic stenosis

Asbestosis

Aspergillosis

Aspiration pneumonia *

Asthma *

Atelectasis

Atrial septal defect (ASD)

Atypical pneumonia *

Blastomycosis

Brain abscess

Breast cancer

Broken bone *

Bronchiectasis

Bronchiolitis *

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Byssinosis

Cardiac amyloidosis

Cardiac tamponade

Cerebral arteriovenous malformation

Chest pain *

Coal worker's pneumoconiosis

Coarctation of the aorta

Collapsed lung (pneumothorax) *

Community-acquired pneumonia in adults *

Coughing up blood

Diaphragmatic hernia

Dilated cardiomyopathy

Disseminated tuberculosis

Drug-induced lupus erythematosus

Drug-induced pulmonary disease

Echinococcosis

Empyema

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Heart attack *

Heart failure *

Histiocytosis

Histoplasmosis - acute (primary) pulmonary

Hodgkin lymphoma

Hospital-acquired pneumonia *

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Hypertensive heart disease

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypothyroidism

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Industrial bronchitis

Interstitial lung disease

Legionnaires disease

Lung cancer - small cell *

Lung disease

Lung metastases *

Malignant hypertension

Malignant mesothelioma

Meningitis *

Metastatic brain tumor *

Metastatic pleural tumor

Mitral stenosis

Mitral valve prolapse

Mitral valve regurgitation

Mycoplasma pneumonia *

Myocarditis

Necrotizing vasculitis

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Neuroblastoma

Neurosarcoidosis

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Occupational asthma

Osteoporosis

Patent ductus arteriosus

Pericarditis

Pericarditis - after heart attack

Peripartum cardiomyopathy

Pleural effusion

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia *

Pneumonia - weakened immune system *

Premature infant *

Primary alveolar hypoventilation

Pulmonary actinomycosis

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Pulmonary aspergilloma

Pulmonary edema *

Pulmonary embolus

Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary nocardiosis

Pulmonary tuberculosis

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease

Pulmonic valve stenosis

Q fever

Renal cell carcinoma

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) *

Restrictive cardiomyopathy

Rheumatoid lung disease

Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis

Sarcoidosis

Scleroderma

Silicosis

Simple pulmonary eosinophilia

Solitary fibrous tumor

Solitary pulmonary nodule

SVC obstruction

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Testicular cancer

Tetralogy of Fallot

Transient ischemic attack *

Transposition of the great arteries

Ventricular septal defect

Viral pneumonia *

Wilms tumor

X-ray


* Has Related Health Outcome Information

Health Encyclopedia

More Features