Thoracic spine X-ray

How the Test is Performed:
The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an X-ray technician. You will be asked to lie on the X-ray table and assume various positions. If the X-ray is to determine an injury, care will be taken to prevent further injury. The X-ray machine will be positioned over the thoracic area of the spine. You will be asked to hold your breath as the picture is taken, so that the picture will not be blurry. Usually 3 to 5 pictures are taken.

How to Prepare:
Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant . Remove all jewelry.

How it Feels:
There is no discomfort. The table may be cold.

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 risk is low compared with the benefits. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of the X-ray .

Why this Test is Performed:
The X-ray helps evaluate bone injuries or cartilage loss.

Normal Values:
The X-ray will show normal structures for the age of the patient.

Abnormal Results:
The abnormalities the test will pick up include fractures , dislocations, thinning of the bone ( osteoporosis ), and deformities in the curvature of the spine. The test may also detect bone spurs, disc narrowing, and degeneration of the vertebrae.

Cost:
The estimated cost is $80 to $100.

Special Considerations:
The X-ray will not detect a number of back problems because these problems involve the muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues, which are not well visually captured on an X-ray.


Bone X-rays are a rapid way of determining the presence of fractures, dislocations, and other types of bone abnormalities. The procedure has the advantage of being painless and exposing the patient to only a small amount of radiation.



The spine is divided into several sections. The cervical vertebrae make up the neck. The thoracic vertebrae comprise the chest section and have ribs attached. The lumbar vertebrae are the remaining vertebrae below the last thoracic bone and the top of the sacrum. The sacral vertebrae are caged within the bones of the pelvis, and the coccyx represents the terminal vertebrae or vestigial tail.



These are twelve vertebra of the mid back. The last vertebra (on the left side of the picture) attaches to the lumbar (lower) spine, and the top vertebra (on the right) attaches to the cervical (neck) section of the back. The vertebra are broader and stronger than the cervical bones. This allows them to absorb the added pressure applied to the mid back, but they remain a common sight of injury. The vertebra are numbered from one to twelve and labeled T1, T2, T3 etc. from the upper most bones to the lowest.



This is the spine and the sacrum with the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), and lumbar (lower back) vertebra. Notice how the appearance of the vertebra change as you look down the spine. The change in shape and size reflect the different functions of the neck, mid-back, and lower back.