X-ray

Also known as: Radiography

At Providence, we believe in creating a comfortable space for our patients to better serve them and more effectively meet their holistic needs. That’s why when you come in for an X-ray scan, you can be confident your radiologists and technicians will provide compassionate diagnostic exams and detailed screening methods to better treat your conditions.

An X-ray is a diagnostic procedure that uses invisible beams of energy to produce images of the body’s internal structures, such as tissues, organs and bones.  X-rays are a traditional imaging method.

An X-ray uses relatively harmless radio waves to scan the body.  Those radio waves are absorbed by our organs and tissues in different ways. These different levels of absorption help your doctor image different parts of your body.

In order to produce more detailed images, some x-ray scans make use of a contrast dye. The contrast medium, which is injected into the body or ingested orally, helps absorb the radio waves, producing clearer images of the desired location.

Doctors use this classic imaging method to detect, diagnose and treat conditions ranging from bone fractures, arthritis and osteoporosis, to breast tumors, digestive issues, lung conditions and cancer.

During an X-ray scan, your doctor or radiologist will sit you on a chair or dedicated X-ray table. Most of these are located in a specific room with an X-ray machine, often in a location’s radiology department.

As your scan takes place, you will be asked to hold a still position and may be asked to hold your breath to keep from moving. Depending on the purpose of your X-ray, you might be asked to hold several different positions for various angles and images.

Most X-rays are now done digitally, giving doctors and patients access to scan and exam information almost instantly.

The risks of X-ray scans mostly involve radiation exposure. At Providence, we use the latest in X-ray technology to minimize this risk while still maintaining image quality for an accurate diagnosis. In fact, the exposure to radiation is so limited, that the benefits to having an X-ray almost always outweigh the risk.

If your X-ray scan required the use of contrast dye, some alternate side effects and reactions are possible. These include itchiness and soreness, as well as a warm, metallic taste in the mouth and lightheadedness.