Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Why Chest X-Rays?

The chest x-ray is an important diagnostic tool. But what can it reveal about your health?...






Firstly, chest x-rays can diagnose a ' large number of conditions ', aside from broken bones and item that may have been swallowed or lodge in the chest area.
Your doctor may recommend a chest x-ray if you complain of difficulty breathing , shortness of breath , a persistent cough , chest pain , or had a recent chest injury.
A chest x-ray can detect:

Changes in the size and shape of Heart.

These changes can indicate valve damage, heart failure , pericardial effusion, and congenital heart defects.

Lung Abnormalities.

Lung problems occur as result of heart conditions , including pulmonary oedema (accumulation of fluid in the lungs) , chronic obstructive pulmonary, cancer , cystic fibrosis and infection such as pneumonia.

Damaged Blood Vessels.

The large vessels situated close to the heart are clearly visible on an x-ray. Therefore, problem with the pulmonary arteries , aorta , and veins can be detected by x-ray. eg: aneurysm.

Calcium Deposits.

Calcium deposition can happen in your heart , blood vessels and lungs. This can cause serious problem such as damage to the heart muscle , valve and pericardium.

Abnormalities due to Injury.

Rib fracture and lung damage can occur due to an injury.

What Should You Expect?

Having an x-ray done is not something you should worry about. It is a simple , quick , and painless procedure.If radiation is something you are worried about, fret no more! The amount of radiation released during chest x-rays is low; in fact one of the lowest among diagnostic imaging methods.

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