|
Bone 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 are asked to position the bone to be x-rayed on the table. The pictures are then taken, repositioning the bone for different views.
How to Prepare:
Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant . 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 experience, 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:
How it Feels:
The X-rays themselves are painless; however, repositioning the bone may be uncomfortable.
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 . A protective shield may be worn over areas not being scanned.
Why this Test is Performed:
A bone X-ray is used to detect fractures , tumors, or degenerative conditions of the bone.
Normal Values:
The X-ray shows normal structures for the age of the patient.
Abnormal Results:
Abnormal findings include fractures , bone tumors , degenerative bone conditions, and osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone caused by an infection).
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
Cost:
The estimated cost is $150.
Special Considerations:
Not applicable.
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.
This is an illustration of the skeletal system. The different types of bones in the hands and feet are color-coded. The bones that connect to the ankles or wrists are blue, the middle bones are red, and the fingers and toes are yellow.
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.
This X-ray shows a malignant bone tumor
(osteogenic sarcoma) of the knee. This type of tumor is usually seen in adolescents (around 15 years old). This tumor extends from the bone into the surrounding tissue.
fractures , tumors, or degenerative conditions of the bone. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation (like light); they are of higher energy, however, and can penetrate the body to form an image on film. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will appear white, air will be black, and other structures will be shades of gray depending on density. Learn to make informed health care decisions with the Medical Encyclopedia at
drkoop.com.">
|
