X-rays can take pictures of the inside of your body. X-rays help your doctors:
- See bone injuries
- See issues in your abdomen
- See an infection (like pneumonia)
- See heart and large blood vessel problems
- See fluid inside your lungs
- See tumors
Are X-rays Safe?
An X-ray uses a small, safe amount of radiation to take pictures. The low levels of radiation from a single X-ray don't affect most people. We may put a lead shield on parts of your body that are not being X-rayed. This reduces your exposure to radiation.
If you're pregnant or think you may be, talk to your doctor before getting an X-ray.
Getting Your X-ray
Before you have your X-ray, we may ask you to take off your jewelry and put on a hospital gown.
We point the X-ray device at the part of your body we need to see the inside of. You'll be asked to remain as still as possible while we take the X-rays. The X-rays pass through your body and we can see the picture it makes on a computer or using film.
X-rays don't hurt, and they only take a short time to get them.
Getting Your Results
You can see your results in MyChart. You'll need to talk to your doctor about the results.