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X - Ray Chest AP View
This test is for
Male, Female
Test Preparation
Understanding X - Ray Chest AP View
What is X - Ray Chest AP View?
An X-ray of the chest is a safe and painless test to isualise the structures of the chest wall which includes the collar bone, breastbone, ribs, shoulder blade and surrounding muscles. It also helps to visualise the internal organs of the chest which includes the lungs, airways, heart, food pipe and diapragm. The image is recorded on a special X-ray film using small amount of radiation. The X-ray image is black and white. Dense structures such as the bones, appear white and softer body tissues, such as the skin and muscles appear darker. The actual exposure time to radiation is usually less than a second, although the overall test may take 15-20 minutes.
What is X - Ray Chest AP View used for?
- To diagnose any injury or fractures of the bones of the chest wall (includes the collar bone, breastbone, ribs, shoulder blade)
- To diagnose some diseases of the lungs like infections, abnormal growth (tumors) or pneumothorax (presence of air between lungs and chest wall)
- To diagnose underlying heart diseases like enlargement of the heart, fluid around the heart or problems of the heart valve
- To diagnose any problems of the food pipe like infections, inflammations or abnormal growth
- To diagnose any perforation of the diaphragm (by presence of free air in the chest)
- To diagnose any suspected birth defects of the structures of the chest wall or the internal organs of this area
Answers to Patient Concerns & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about X - Ray Chest AP View
Frequently Asked Questions about X - Ray Chest AP View
Q. What are the drawbacks of a bone X-ray?
X-ray images give a very clear view of the bones. However, it does not provide a good visual image of the soft tissues like tendons, muscles or fat tissue under the skin. Even the bone microfractures or complicated spine injuries are not clearly visible on the X Ray images. Apart from this, it also exposes the patient to some amount of radiations but the benefit of the information gained from an X-ray image outweighs the risk of radiations.
Q. Who interprets the X-ray results?
The interpretation of an X-Ray image is carried out by a radiologist who analyses or reads the X-ray image and prepares a report of the findings which is shared with the patient.
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