X-Rays

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• Related Issues
• Specifics

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Summary

X-rays are a type of radiation called electromagnetic waves. X-ray imaging creates pictures of the inside of your body. The images show the parts of your body in different shades of black and white. This is because different tissues absorb different amounts of radiation. Calcium in bones absorbs x-rays the most, so bones look white. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less and look gray. Air absorbs the least, so lungs look black.

The most familiar use of x-rays is checking for fractures (broken bones), but x-rays are also used in other ways. For example, chest x-rays can spot pneumonia. Mammograms use x-rays to look for breast cancer.

When you have an x-ray, you may wear a lead apron to protect certain parts of your body. The amount of radiation you get from an x-ray is small. For example, a chest x-ray gives out a radiation dose similar to the amount of radiation you're naturally exposed to from the environment over 10 days.

Start Here

• Medical X-Rays (Food and Drug Administration)
• X-Ray (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Related Issues

• Contrast Materials (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• How to Read Your Radiology Report (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Products for Security Screening of People (Food and Drug Administration)
• Radiation Exposure in X-Ray and CT Examinations (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Tracing the X-Ray Trail (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish

Specifics

• Abdomen X-Ray (Radiography) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Arthrography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Bone Density Scan (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Bone X-Ray (Radiography) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Catheter Angiography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Chest X-Ray (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish
• Chest X-Ray (Chest Radiography) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Cystogram (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Discography (Discogram) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Fluoroscopy (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Lower Extremity Radiography (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF
• Lower GI Series (Barium Enema) (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Myelography (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Panoramic Dental X-Ray (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Radiography of the Paranasal Sinuses (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Skull Radiography (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Upper Extremity Radiography (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Venography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Virtual Colonoscopy (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Why Do I Need X-Rays? (Academy of General Dentistry)

Videos and Tutorials

• Chest X-Ray (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Spontaneous Coronary-Artery Dissection.
• Article: Supplemental Screening for Patients at Intermediate and High Risk for Breast...
• Article: Understanding the Mammography Audit.
• X-Rays -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• RadiologyInfo: Glossary of Terms (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• American College of Radiology Accredited Facility Search (American College of Radiology)
• Food and Drug Administration
• RadiologyInfo (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Children

• Dose Matters: FDA's Guidance on Children's X-rays (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
• Keeping Kids Still during Exams (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Pediatric Voiding Cystourethrogram (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - PDF Also in Spanish
• X-Ray Exam: Ankle (Nemours Foundation)
• X-Ray Exam: Bone Age Study (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• X-Ray Exam: Cervical Spine (Nemours Foundation)
• X-Ray Exam: Femur (Upper Leg) (Nemours Foundation)
• X-Ray Exam: Foot (Nemours Foundation)
• X-Ray Exam: Pelvis (Nemours Foundation)

Women

• Galactography (Ductography) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Hysterosalpingography (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Mammography: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• X-Rays, Pregnancy and You (Food and Drug Administration)

Patient Handouts

• Barium enema (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Bone x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Chest x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Enteroclysis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Lumbosacral spine x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Pelvis x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Skull x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish