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Chest x-ray

Show Alternative Names
Chest radiography
Serial chest x-ray
X-ray - chest

A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.

How the Test is Performed

You stand in front of the x-ray machine. You will be told to take a breath in and hold it when the x-ray is taken.

Two images are usually taken. You will first need to stand facing the machine, and then sideways.

How to Prepare for the Test

Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant. Chest x-rays are generally avoided during pregnancy, and special precautions are taken if they are needed.

How the Test will Feel

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

Why the Test is Performed

Your provider may order a chest x-ray if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • A persistent cough
  • Chest pain from a chest injury (with a possible rib fracture or lung complication) or from heart problems
  • Coughing up blood
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fever

It may also be done if you have signs of tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other chest or lung diseases.

A serial chest x-ray is one that is repeated. It may be done to monitor changes found on a past chest x-ray.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may be due to many things, including:

In the lungs:

  • Collapsed lung
  • Collection of fluid around the lung
  • Lung tumor (noncancerous or cancerous)
  • Malformation of the blood vessels
  • Pneumonia
  • Scarring of lung tissue
  • Tuberculosis
  • Atelectasis

In the heart:

  • Problems with the size, position or shape of the heart
  • Problems with the position, size and shape of the large arteries
  • Evidence of heart failure

In the bones:

  • Fractures or other problems of the ribs and spine
  • Osteoporosis

In the mediastinum (middle part of the chest):

  • Enlargement, which might be related to infection or tumor

Risks

There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. Most experts feel that the benefits outweigh the risks. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of x-rays.

Review Date: 8/19/2024

Reviewed By

Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

Felker GM, Teerlink JR. Diagnosis and management of acute heart failure. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 49.

Jokerst CE, Gotway MB. Thoracic radiology: noninvasive diagnostic imaging. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.

Nair A, Barnett JL, Semple TR. Current status of thoracic imaging. In: Adam A, Dixon AK, Gillard JH, Schaefer-Prokop CM, eds. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 1.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Images
Aortic rupture - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Aortic rupture - chest X-ray

Aortic rupture (a tear in the aorta, which is the major artery coming from the heart) can be seen on a chest x-ray. In this case, it was caused by a traumatic perforation of the thoracic aorta. This is how the x-ray appears when the chest is full of blood (right-sided hemothorax) seen here as cloudiness on the left side of the picture.

Illustration

Lung cancer - frontal chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung cancer - frontal chest X-ray

A chest x-ray in a patient with central cancer of the right lung. Notice the white mass in the middle portion of the right lung (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

Adenocarcinoma - chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Adenocarcinoma - chest x-ray

This chest x-ray shows adenocarcinoma of the lung. There is a rounded light spot in the right upper lung (left side of the picture) at the level of the second rib. The light spot has irregular and poorly defined borders and is not uniform in density. Diseases that may cause this type of x-ray result would be tuberculous or fungal granuloma, and malignant or benign tumors.

Illustration

Coccidioidomycosis - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Coccidioidomycosis - chest X-ray

This chest x-ray shows the affects of a fungal infection, coccidioidomycosis. In the middle of the left lung (seen on the right side of the picture) there are multiple, thin-walled cavities (seen as light areas) with a diameter of 2 to 4 centimeters. To the side of these light areas are patchy light areas with irregular and poorly defined borders.

Other diseases that may explain these x-ray findings include lung abscesses, chronic pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis, and others.

Illustration

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays - Illustration Thumbnail

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation, the formation of tubercles and other growths within tissue, and can cause tissue death. These chest X-rays show advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. There are multiple light areas (opacities) of varying size that run together (coalesce). Arrows indicate the location of cavities within these light areas. The X-ray on the left clearly shows that the opacities are located in the upper area of the lungs toward the back. The appearance is typical for chronic pulmonary tuberculosis but may also occur with chronic pulmonary histiocytosis and chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis is making a comeback with new resistant strains that are difficult to treat. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of the disease, but other organs can be infected.

Illustration

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray

This x-ray shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the upper right lung (seen as a light area on the left side of the picture). The nodule has distinct borders (well-defined) and is uniform in density. Tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases can cause this type of lesion.

Illustration

Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray

Sarcoid causes damage to the lung tissue that heals by scarring. The film shows a diffuse milky and granular appearance in the normally dark lung areas. This individual has marked decrease in lung function.

Illustration

Sarcoid, stage IV - chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Sarcoid, stage IV - chest x-ray

This film shows advanced sarcoid, scarring of the lungs (the light streaking), and cavity formation (the dark areas in the upper right side of the picture).

Illustration

Pulmonary mass - side view chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Pulmonary mass - side view chest X-ray

This individual has a mass in the upper part of the lung. Although the cause of the mass can be suspected, based on this person's history, there are many diseases that can produce lung lesions.

Illustration

Bronchial cancer - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Bronchial cancer - chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray of a person with bronchial cancer. This is a front view. The lungs are the two dark areas. The heart and other structures are white areas visible in the middle of the chest. The light areas that appear as subtle branches extending from the center into the lungs are cancerous.

Illustration

Lung nodule, right middle lobe - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung nodule, right middle lobe - chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray (CXR) of a nodule in the right lung.

Illustration

Lung mass, right upper lung - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung mass, right upper lung - chest X-ray

This picture is a chest x-ray of a person with a lung mass. This is a front view, where the lungs are the two dark areas and the heart and other structures are visible in the middle of the chest. The x-ray shows a mass in the right upper lung, indicated with the arrow (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

Lung nodule - front view chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung nodule - front view chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray showing a mass in the right lower lung near heart (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

Aortic rupture - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Aortic rupture - chest X-ray

Aortic rupture (a tear in the aorta, which is the major artery coming from the heart) can be seen on a chest x-ray. In this case, it was caused by a traumatic perforation of the thoracic aorta. This is how the x-ray appears when the chest is full of blood (right-sided hemothorax) seen here as cloudiness on the left side of the picture.

Illustration

Lung cancer - frontal chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung cancer - frontal chest X-ray

A chest x-ray in a patient with central cancer of the right lung. Notice the white mass in the middle portion of the right lung (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

Adenocarcinoma - chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Adenocarcinoma - chest x-ray

This chest x-ray shows adenocarcinoma of the lung. There is a rounded light spot in the right upper lung (left side of the picture) at the level of the second rib. The light spot has irregular and poorly defined borders and is not uniform in density. Diseases that may cause this type of x-ray result would be tuberculous or fungal granuloma, and malignant or benign tumors.

Illustration

Coccidioidomycosis - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Coccidioidomycosis - chest X-ray

This chest x-ray shows the affects of a fungal infection, coccidioidomycosis. In the middle of the left lung (seen on the right side of the picture) there are multiple, thin-walled cavities (seen as light areas) with a diameter of 2 to 4 centimeters. To the side of these light areas are patchy light areas with irregular and poorly defined borders.

Other diseases that may explain these x-ray findings include lung abscesses, chronic pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis, and others.

Illustration

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays - Illustration Thumbnail

Tuberculosis, advanced - chest X-rays

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation, the formation of tubercles and other growths within tissue, and can cause tissue death. These chest X-rays show advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. There are multiple light areas (opacities) of varying size that run together (coalesce). Arrows indicate the location of cavities within these light areas. The X-ray on the left clearly shows that the opacities are located in the upper area of the lungs toward the back. The appearance is typical for chronic pulmonary tuberculosis but may also occur with chronic pulmonary histiocytosis and chronic pulmonary coccidioidomycosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis is making a comeback with new resistant strains that are difficult to treat. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form of the disease, but other organs can be infected.

Illustration

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray

This x-ray shows a single lesion (pulmonary nodule) in the upper right lung (seen as a light area on the left side of the picture). The nodule has distinct borders (well-defined) and is uniform in density. Tuberculosis (TB) and other diseases can cause this type of lesion.

Illustration

Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Sarcoid, stage II - chest X-ray

Sarcoid causes damage to the lung tissue that heals by scarring. The film shows a diffuse milky and granular appearance in the normally dark lung areas. This individual has marked decrease in lung function.

Illustration

Sarcoid, stage IV - chest x-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Sarcoid, stage IV - chest x-ray

This film shows advanced sarcoid, scarring of the lungs (the light streaking), and cavity formation (the dark areas in the upper right side of the picture).

Illustration

Pulmonary mass - side view chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Pulmonary mass - side view chest X-ray

This individual has a mass in the upper part of the lung. Although the cause of the mass can be suspected, based on this person's history, there are many diseases that can produce lung lesions.

Illustration

Bronchial cancer - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Bronchial cancer - chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray of a person with bronchial cancer. This is a front view. The lungs are the two dark areas. The heart and other structures are white areas visible in the middle of the chest. The light areas that appear as subtle branches extending from the center into the lungs are cancerous.

Illustration

Lung nodule, right middle lobe - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung nodule, right middle lobe - chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray (CXR) of a nodule in the right lung.

Illustration

Lung mass, right upper lung - chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung mass, right upper lung - chest X-ray

This picture is a chest x-ray of a person with a lung mass. This is a front view, where the lungs are the two dark areas and the heart and other structures are visible in the middle of the chest. The x-ray shows a mass in the right upper lung, indicated with the arrow (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

Lung nodule - front view chest X-ray - Illustration Thumbnail

Lung nodule - front view chest X-ray

This is a chest x-ray showing a mass in the right lower lung near heart (seen on the left side of the picture).

Illustration

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