How an x-ray is done. Everything you need to know about x-rays: acquisition procedure, assessment of diagnostic hazards, and image interpretation. Easy do-it-yourself X-ray installation

X-rays refer to a special kind of electromagnetic oscillation that is created in the tube of an X-ray machine when the electrons suddenly stop. X-ray is a familiar procedure for many, but some want to know more about it. What is an x-ray? How is an x-ray done?

X-ray properties

In medical practice, the following properties of x-rays have been used:

Great penetrating power. X-rays successfully pass through various tissues of the human body.
X-ray causes light reflection of individual chemical elements. This property underlies fluoroscopy.
The photochemical effect of ionizing rays allows you to create informative, from a diagnostic point of view, images.
X-ray radiation has an ionizing effect.

During an x-ray scan, various organs, tissues, and structures act as targets for x-rays. During an insignificant radioactive load, metabolism can be disturbed, and with prolonged exposure to radiation, acute or chronic radiation sickness can occur.

X-ray machine

X-ray machines are devices that are used not only for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in medicine, but also in various industries (defectoscopes), as well as in other areas of human life.

The device of the x-ray machine:

emitter tubes (lamp) - one or more pieces;
a power supply device that supplies the device with electricity and regulates the radiation parameters;
tripods that make it easier to control the device;
converters of X-ray radiation into a visible image.

X-ray machines are divided into several groups depending on how they are arranged and where they are used:

stationary - they are, as a rule, equipped with rooms in radiology departments and clinics;
mobile - designed for use in the departments of surgery and traumatology, in intensive care units and outpatients;
portable, dental (used by dentists).

When passing through the human body, X-rays are projected onto the film. However, the angle of reflection of the waves can be different and this affects the image quality. The bones are best seen in the pictures - they are bright white in color. This is due to the fact that calcium absorbs X-rays the most.

Types of diagnostics

In medical practice, X-rays have found application in the following diagnostic methods:

Fluoroscopy is a research method in which in the past the examined organs were projected onto a screen coated with a fluorescent compound. In the process, it was possible to examine the organ from different angles in dynamics. And thanks to modern digital processing, they immediately receive the finished video image on the monitor or display it on paper.
Radiography is the main type of research. The patient is given a film with a fixed image of the examined organ or part of the body.
Radiography and fluoroscopy with contrast. This type of diagnostics is indispensable in the study of hollow organs and soft tissues.
Fluorography is an examination with small-format x-rays that allow it to be used massively during preventive examinations of the lungs.
Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic method that allows you to study the human body in detail through a combination of x-rays and digital processing. There is a computer reconstruction of layer-by-layer X-ray images. Of all the methods of radiation diagnostics, this one is the most informative.

X-rays are used not only for diagnosis, but also for therapy. Radiation therapy is widely used in the treatment of cancer patients.

In the case of emergency care, the patient is initially given a survey radiograph.

There are such types of X-ray examination:

spine and peripheral parts of the skeleton;
chest;
abdominal cavity;
detailed image of all teeth with jaws, adjacent sections of the facial skeleton;
checking the patency of the fallopian tubes using x-rays;
x-ray examination of the breast with a low proportion of radiation;
radiopaque examination of the stomach and duodenum;
diagnosis of the gallbladder and ducts using contrast;
examination of the colon with retrograde injection of a radiopaque preparation into it.

An abdominal x-ray is divided into a plain x-ray and a procedure performed with contrast. To determine the pathologies in the lung, fluoroscopy has found wide application. X-ray examination of the spine, joints and other parts of the skeleton is a very popular diagnostic method.

Neurologists, traumatologists and orthopedists cannot make an accurate diagnosis for their patients without using this type of examination. It shows X-ray hernia of the spine, scoliosis, various microtraumas, disorders of the bone and ligamentous apparatus (pathology of a healthy foot), fractures (of the wrist joint) and much more.

Training

Most of the diagnostic manipulations associated with the use of x-rays do not require special training, but there are exceptions. If an examination of the stomach, intestines or lumbosacral spine is planned, then 2-3 days before the X-ray, you need to follow a special diet that reduces flatulence and fermentation processes.

When examining the gastrointestinal tract, it is required on the eve of the diagnosis and directly on the day of the examination to make cleansing enemas in the classical way using Esmarch's mug or cleanse the intestines with the help of pharmacy laxatives (oral preparations or microclysters).

When examining the abdominal organs, at least 3 hours before the procedure, you can not eat, drink, smoke. Before you go for a mammogram, you need to visit a gynecologist. An x-ray examination of the breast should be carried out at the beginning of the menstrual cycle after the end of menstruation. If a woman who plans a breast examination has implants, then this must be reported to the radiologist.

Holding

Entering the X-ray room, he must remove items of clothing or jewelry that contain metal, and also leave a mobile phone outside the room. As a rule, the patient is asked to undress to the waist if the chest or peritoneum is being examined. If it is necessary to perform an x-ray of the extremities, the patient can remain in clothing. All parts of the body that are not subject to diagnosis should be covered with a protective lead apron.

Pictures can be taken in various positions. But most often the patient is standing or lying down. If you need a series of images from different angles, then the radiologist gives the patient commands to change the position of the body. If an x-ray of the stomach is performed, then the patient will need to take the Trendelenburg position.

This is a special posture in which the pelvic organs are slightly higher than the head. As a result of manipulations, negatives are obtained, which show light areas of denser structures and dark areas, indicating the presence of soft tissues. Decoding and analysis of each area of the body is performed according to certain rules.

X-rays are often taken in children to detect hip dysplasia.

Frequency

The maximum allowable effective dose of radiation is 15 mSv per year. As a rule, only people who need regular X-ray control (after severe injuries) receive such a dose of radiation. If during the year the patient does only fluorography, mammography and X-rays at the dentist, then he can be completely calm, since his radiation exposure will not exceed 1.5 mSv.

Acute radiation sickness can occur only if a person receives a single exposure to a dose of 1000 mSv. But if this is not a liquidator at a nuclear power plant, then in order to receive such a radiation exposure, the patient must do 25,000 x-rays and a thousand x-rays of the spine in one day. And this is nonsense.

The same radiation doses that a person receives during standard examinations, even if they are increased, are not able to have a noticeable negative effect on the body. Therefore, x-rays can be done as often as required by medical indications. However, this principle does not apply to pregnant women.

X-rays are contraindicated for them at any time, especially in the first trimester, when all organs and systems in the fetus are laid. If circumstances force a woman to take an x-ray while carrying a child (serious injuries during an accident), then they try to use the maximum protection measures for the abdomen and pelvic organs. During breastfeeding, women are allowed to do both x-rays and fluorography.

At the same time, according to many experts, she does not even need to express milk. Fluorography for small children is not done. This procedure is valid from the age of 15. As for X-ray diagnostics in pediatrics, they resort to it, but take into account that children have increased radiosensitivity to ionizing radiation (on average 2-3 times higher than adults), which creates a high risk of both somatic and genetic radiation effects.

Contraindications

Fluoroscopy and radiography of organs and structures of the human body has not only many indications, but also a number of contraindications:

active tuberculosis;
endocrine pathologies of the thyroid gland;
the general serious condition of the patient;
bearing a child at any time;
for radiography with the use of contrast - lactation;
serious disorders in the work of the heart and kidneys;
internal bleeding;
individual intolerance to contrast agents.

In our time, you can take an x-ray in many medical centers. If radiographic or fluoroscopic examination is done on digital complexes, then the patient can count on a lower dose of radiation. But even a digital x-ray can be considered safe only if the permissible frequency of the procedure is not exceeded.

When diagnosing and monitoring the quality of therapy for dental pathologies, in addition to a simple examination, a specialist often resorts to radiography. More often we are talking about a targeted image of the tooth, through which the doctor assesses the condition of the dental tissue, as well as the one that surrounds the tooth.

Aiming shot: concept and purpose

The subject sits down in a chair. The doctor gets acquainted with the area where the problem is located.
To prevent the adverse effects of rays on the body, a protective layer is provided: the patient's body is covered with a special apron.
The doctor fixes the head of the subject in a given position to obtain a clear x-ray picture.
On the target area (inside the oral cavity immediately behind the dentition or on the front side), the specialist directs a beam of rays using a digital sensor.

The process takes several minutes. A quarter of an hour later, the patient is given a picture on paper, sometimes in electronic form.

During x-rays, the patient is required to remain still.

Description of the dental radiograph

A dentist or radiologist reads an x-ray. Describing the resulting picture, the doctor conducts its qualitative assessment.

Then the specialist examines the level of rigidity, density, homogeneity of the bone structures of the upper (lower) jaw, the placement of the elements of the dentition.

Symptoms that may appear on an x-ray are described in the table below:

Diagnosis	Visualized Features
Caries	Carious formation, expressed in the transparency of the enamel and the hard part of the tooth (the area of tissue destruction). A sign of enlightenment is a focus of unnatural forms with an implicit edging.
Pulpitis	Symptoms of a bone lesion are the loss of its homogeneity in the interradicular region against the background of hypertrophy.
Periodontitis	Granuloma in the area of tartar formation, an increase in the gap with periodontitis, blurring of the edges. With the formation of pus, X-ray demonstrates a clinical history of osteoporosis, in the process of granulation, destruction of the hard part of the tooth and cement is observed under the influence of the active progression of the granulating process.
Periodontitis	Symptoms of osteoporosis: the density of bone structures is reduced, the same happens with the height of the partitions between the elements of the dentition, "pockets" are formed.

The doctor determines if there are signs of enlightenment or darkening. In this case, we are talking about cavities, cysts, granulomas, inflammations and neoplasms.

Performing x-rays in children

obtaining a clear picture of the tooth and tissues;
security;
carrying out several procedures without the risk of adverse effects of x-ray radiation on the human body;
convenient storage of successive images on a computer or electronic media;
the ability to print images;
the best conditions for assessing the clinical picture (the picture can be enlarged several times).

Among the shortcomings of the described method, it is worth noting the release of images from only one angle and the small coverage of the study area.

Where to get an x-ray, how much does the procedure cost, video

The service of targeted radiography is available in almost every specialized clinic. The cost varies in the region of 400-450 rubles.

Some clinics provide for the practice of laying down several X-ray procedures (2-4) as part of dental treatment - the patient has the opportunity to save money.

Targeted dental X-ray is a highly informative and safe procedure that allows you to identify a dental problem and monitor the effectiveness of the therapy. It is successfully carried out both for adults and children. X-rays are used with caution in the case of pregnant women and infants.

The principle of operation of a digital radiovisiograph

X-ray properties

In medical practice, the following properties of x-rays have been used:

Great penetrating power. X-rays successfully pass through various tissues of the human body.
X-ray causes light reflection of individual chemical elements. This property underlies fluoroscopy.
The photochemical effect of ionizing rays allows you to create informative, from a diagnostic point of view, images.
X-ray radiation has an ionizing effect.

X-ray machine

X-ray machines are devices that are used not only for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in medicine, but also in various industries (defectoscopes), as well as in other areas of human life.

The device of the x-ray machine:

emitter tubes (lamp) - one or more pieces;
a power supply device that supplies the device with electricity and regulates the radiation parameters;
tripods that make it easier to control the device;
converters of X-ray radiation into a visible image.

X-ray machines are divided into several groups depending on how they are arranged and where they are used:

stationary - they are, as a rule, equipped with rooms in radiology departments and clinics;
mobile - designed for use in the departments of surgery and traumatology, in intensive care units and outpatients;
portable, dental (used by dentists).

Types of diagnostics

In medical practice, X-rays have found application in the following diagnostic methods:

Fluoroscopy is a research method in which in the past the examined organs were projected onto a screen coated with a fluorescent compound. In the process, it was possible to examine the organ from different angles in dynamics. And thanks to modern digital processing, they immediately receive the finished video image on the monitor or display it on paper.
Radiography is the main type of research. The patient is given a film with a fixed image of the examined organ or part of the body.
Radiography and fluoroscopy with contrast. This type of diagnostics is indispensable in the study of hollow organs and soft tissues.
Fluorography is an examination with small-format x-rays that allow it to be used massively during preventive examinations of the lungs.
Computed tomography (CT) is a diagnostic method that allows you to study the human body in detail through a combination of x-rays and digital processing. There is a computer reconstruction of layer-by-layer X-ray images. Of all the methods of radiation diagnostics, this one is the most informative.

X-rays are used not only for diagnosis, but also for therapy. Radiation therapy is widely used in the treatment of cancer patients.

In the case of emergency care, the patient is initially given a survey radiograph.

There are such types of X-ray examination:

spine and peripheral parts of the skeleton;
chest;
abdominal cavity;
detailed image of all teeth with jaws, adjacent sections of the facial skeleton;
checking the patency of the fallopian tubes using x-rays;
x-ray examination of the breast with a low proportion of radiation;
radiopaque examination of the stomach and duodenum;
diagnosis of the gallbladder and ducts using contrast;
examination of the colon with retrograde injection of a radiopaque preparation into it.

Training

Holding

X-rays are often taken in children to detect hip dysplasia.

Frequency

Contraindications

Fluoroscopy and radiography of organs and structures of the human body has not only many indications, but also a number of contraindications:

active tuberculosis;
endocrine pathologies of the thyroid gland;
the general serious condition of the patient;
bearing a child at any time;
for radiography with the use of contrast - lactation;
serious disorders in the work of the heart and kidneys;
internal bleeding;
individual intolerance to contrast agents.

A radiograph is used to create images of internal organs or bones to help diagnose disease or injury. Special equipment emits a small amount of ionizing radiation. It travels through the body and onto a film or imaging device.

The dose of radiation a person receives depends on the area of the body being examined. Smaller areas such as the arm will receive a small dose compared to a larger area such as the spine. On average, the dose of radiation is the same as from background radiation for a week. Pregnant women are advised to consult a doctor to find an alternative method of examination.

Who does the procedure

The two types of practitioners involved in taking x-rays are:

the radiologist who does the examination;
radiologist (medical specialist) describing x-rays.

Principle of procedure

Ionizing radiation passes through the body. Previously, it ended up on a special film, now an x-ray is made using a device that captures the transmitted x-rays to create an electronic image.

Interesting! Read why doctors prescribe an examination

Calcium in the bones blocks the passage of radiation, so healthy bones appear in the picture in white or gray. Radiation easily passes through air spaces, so healthy lungs appear dark in the image.

Purpose of X-ray

This medical imaging analysis is common. Purpose of the procedure:

diagnosing fractures – finding broken bones is the most common reason for x-rays
diagnosis of dislocations - X-ray examination reveals if the bones of the joint are abnormally located;
like a surgical instrument - to help the surgeon perform the operation accurately. For example, x-rays taken for orthopedic surgery show whether bones are aligned after a fracture or whether an implanted device (artificial connection) is in the correct position. X-rays are used in other surgical procedures for the same purpose;
diagnosis of bone or joint diseases: certain types of cancer or arthritis;
diagnostics of the condition of the chest to make an accurate diagnosis: pneumonia, lung cancer, emphysema or heart failure;
detection of foreign objects - fragments of bullets or swallowed objects.

Features of the radiograph

Be sure to tell your doctor about your pregnancy so that the specialist can recommend another type of test. The radiograph does not require special preparation. Some x-ray examinations involve the use of an iodinated contrast agent (a type of dye).

This substance helps improve the details of images or make it possible to view body structures such as the intestines or blood vessels. The radiology department of a hospital or a private x-ray clinic will provide the patient with information about what to expect from the procedure.

X-ray reveals only severe cases of osteoporosis. Your doctor may suggest other testing options to help confirm the diagnosis.

How is the procedure carried out

Depending on which part of the body is being examined, the patient will be asked to undress, remove jewelry, and change into a hospital gown. Then the procedure goes like this:

The patient will stand up, lie down, or sit on a special table, depending on which part of the body is being examined.
The radiologist will place the area to be examined between the x-ray machine and an imaging device that captures x-rays passing through the body part.
The doctor can protect other parts of the body with a lead apron. This reduces the risk of unnecessary exposure to radiation.
The doctor needs to help the patient to correctly position the body for a particular type of imaging.
The radiologist operates the controls of the machine to acquire an image.
The patient will be asked to hold their breath for a couple of seconds to ensure that all images are taken and the breath does not blur the image.

The procedure does not take much time. For example, a conventional x-ray of the hand takes several minutes. Other types of x-rays may take a little longer.

In the future, the images are transferred to the attending physician for diagnosis and the formation of a treatment plan.

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