By far the most popular x-ray exam is the Chest x-ray. We do millions of them every year. They are a very simple procedure but the information they provide can often be life saving. Most often the chest exam consists of 2 pictures. One picture we refer to is the PA. This is an abbreviation for Posterior to Anterior. What this means is that they are shooting the x-ray from back to front. You are facing a board that holds the cassette and film so your front side is closest to the film. The second picture is called a Lateral. This simply means that you will be turned to one side & your arms will be brought up out of the way. The x-ray shows a different projection of the chest & heart. It also gives a good look at the Thoracic spine. Occasionally if a person cannot stand or they are done as an Emergency patient, the exam will be done sitting upright and shooting AP, anterior to posterior.
A chest x-ray can tell the doctor a multitude of things. First off, is there fluid in the lungs? Is the heart enlarged? Are there any nodules or tumors seen? Does the patient have emphysema or COPD? Sometimes they look at the bony features. Are there any broken ribs seen? How does the Thoracic or upper spine look? The shoulder joints & clavicles may be seen on some patients & they will check those out as well.
Radiographic exposure for a chest x-ray is very limited. Since the lungs contain only air the x-rays pass through easily to get to the film.
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