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The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an X-ray technician. Two views are usually taken: one in which the X-rays pass through the chest from the back (posterior-anterior view) and one in which the X-rays pass through the chest from one side to the other (lateral view). You stand in front of the machine and must hold your breath when the X-ray is taken.

How to Prepare for the Test

Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. Chest X-rays are generally avoided during the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy. You must wear a hospital gown. You must remove all jewelry.

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experiences, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:

infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)

toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)

preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)

schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)

adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the Test will Feel

There is no discomfort. The film plate may feel cold.

Why the Test is Performed

A chest X-ray may be ordered when an person's symptoms include a persistent cough, coughing up blood, chest pain, a chest injury, or difficulty in breathing. The test is also used when tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other chest or lung disease is suspected.

A serial chest X-ray (repeated or sequential) may be used to evaluate changes over time if an abnormality found on a chest X-ray (for example, an increase in the size of an abnormality over a period of weeks).

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