What is a neck X-ray?
An X-ray is a form of radiation that passes through your body to expose a piece of film, forming an image of your body. A neck X-ray, also known as a cervical spine X-ray, is an X-ray image taken of your cervical vertebrae. This includes the seven bones of your neck that surround and protect the top section of your spinal cord.

A neck X-ray also shows the nearby structures, including your:

vocal cords
tonsils
adenoids
trachea (windpipe)
epiglottis (the flap of tissue that covers your windpipe when you swallow)
Dense structures like bones appear white on X-rays because very little radiation can pass through them to expose the film on the other side. Soft tissues are less dense. That means more radiation can pass through them. These structures will appear dark gray on the X-ray image.

Soft tissues include:

blood vessels
skin
fat
muscles
Read more: Vertebrae of the neck »

Why is a neck X-ray performed?
Your doctor may request a neck X-ray if you have a neck injury or pain, or persistent numbness, pain, or weakness in your arms.

The neck is particularly vulnerable to injury. This is especially true with falls, car accidents, and sports, where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced to move outside their normal range. If your neck is dislocated or fractured, your spinal cord may also be damaged. Neck injury caused by a sudden jerking of the head is commonly called whiplash.

Your doctor may check the X-ray image for the following:

fractured or broken bones
swelling in or near your trachea
thinning of your neck bones due to osteoporosis
bone tumors or cysts
chronic wear on the disks and joints of your neck, which is called cervical spondylosis
joints that are pushed out of their normal positions, which are called dislocations
abnormal growths on the bones, which are called bone spurs
spinal deformities
swelling around the vocal cords, which is called croup
inflammation of the epiglottis, which is called epiglottitis
a foreign object that is lodged in your throat or airway
enlarged tonsils and adenoids

What are the risks of a neck X-ray?
X-rays are very safe and generally have no side effects or complications. The amount of radiation used in a single X-ray is quite small. However, if you have many X-rays, your risk of problems from radiation exposure increases. Tell your doctor if you've had multiple X-rays in the past. They can decide what your risk level is. Generally, body parts that aren't being evaluated may be covered with a lead shield to reduce the risk of X-ray exposure to these areas.

Children are especially sensitive to radiation. They'll be given a lead shield to cover their abdomens to protect their reproductive organs from the radiation.

Pregnant women also need to take precautions. If you're pregnant and must have a neck X-ray, be sure to tell your doctor. You'll be given a lead vest to cover your abdomen to keep radiation from harming your pregnancy.

How is a neck X-ray performed?
A radiology technologist performs the X-ray. It takes place in a hospital radiology department or your doctor's office. You'll be asked to remove any clothing or jewelry on your upper body. Metal can interfere with the X-ray equipment.

The procedure is painless and generally takes 15 minutes or less. The technologist first has you lie flat on the X-ray table, and the X-ray machine then moves over your neck area. To keep the image from being blurry, you must stay very still and hold your breath for a few moments while the image is taken.

The radiology tech will likely ask you to lie in several different positions so the X-ray can be taken from multiple angles. You may also be asked to stand up so that X-ray images can be taken from an upright position.

What It Is
An X-ray of the tibia and fibula is a safe and painless test that uses a small amount of radiation to take a picture of the lower leg. During the examination, an X-ray machine sends a beam of radiation through the lower leg, and an image is recorded on a computer or special X-ray film. This image shows the bones (tibia and fibula) and soft tissues of the lower leg.

The X-ray image is black and white. Dense structures that block the passage of the X-ray beam through the body, such as the tibia and fibula, appear white on the X-ray image. Softer body tissues, such as the skin and muscles, allow the X-ray beams to pass through them and appear darker.

X-rays are performed by an X-ray technician in the radiology department of a hospital, a freestanding radiology center, or a health care provider's office. Two different pictures are taken of the lower leg: one from the front (anteroposterior view, or AP) and one from the side (lateral view).

Why It's Done
An X-ray of the tibia and fibula can help find the cause of common signs and symptoms such as pain, tenderness, swelling, or deformity of the lower leg. It can detect broken bones, and after a broken bone has been set, an X-ray can help determine whether the bones are in proper alignment and whether they have healed properly.

If surgery of the lower leg is required, an X-ray may be taken to plan for the surgery and, later, to see the results of the operation. Also, an X-ray can help to diagnose later stages of infections, as well as cysts, tumors, and other diseases in the bones of the lower leg.

Preparation
An X-ray of the tibia and fibula doesn't require any special preparation. Your child may be asked to remove some clothing, jewelry, or any metal objects that might interfere with the X-ray image.

Developing babies are more sensitive to radiation and are at more risk for harm, so if your daughter is pregnant, inform her doctor and the X-ray technician.

Procedure
This is a quick procedure. Although the tibia and fibula X-ray exam may take about 15 minutes, actual exposure to radiation is less than a second.

Your child will be asked to enter a special room that will most likely contain a table and a large X-ray machine hanging from the ceiling or the wall. Parents are usually able to accompany their child to provide reassurance and support.

The technician will position your child on the table, and will then step behind a wall or into an adjoining room to operate the machine. Two X-rays are usually taken (from the front and side), so the technician will return to reposition the leg for each X-ray.

Older kids will be asked to stay still for a couple of seconds while the X-ray is taken; infants may require gentle restraint. Keeping the leg still is important to prevent blurring of the X-ray image.

If your child is in the hospital and can't easily be brought to the radiology department, a portable X-ray machine can be brought to the bedside. Portable X-rays are sometimes used in emergency departments, intensive care units (ICUs), and operating rooms.

What to Expect
Your child won't feel anything as the X-ray is taken. The X-ray room may feel cool due to air conditioning used to maintain the equipment.

The positions required for the X-ray may feel uncomfortable, but they need to be held for only a few seconds. If your child has an injury and can't stay in the required position, the technician might be able to find another position that's easier on your child. Babies often cry in the X-ray room, especially if they're restrained, but this won't interfere with the procedure.

If you stay in the room while the X-ray is being done, you'll be asked to wear a lead apron to protect certain parts of your body. Your child's reproductive organs also will be protected with a lead shield.

After the X-rays are taken, you and your child will be asked to wait a few minutes while the images are processed. If they're blurred, the X-rays may need to be redone.

Getting the Results
The X-rays will be looked at by a radiologist (a doctor who's specially trained in reading and interpreting X-ray images). The radiologist will send a report to your doctor, who will discuss the results with you and explain what they mean.

In an emergency, the results of an X-ray can be available quickly for review by a doctor. Otherwise, results are usually ready in 1-2 days. In most cases, results can't be given directly to the patient or family at the time of the test.

Risks
In general, X-rays are safe. Although any exposure to radiation poses some risk to the body, the amount used in a tibia and fibula X-ray is small and not considered dangerous. It's important to know that radiologists use the minimum amount of radiation required to get the best results.

Developing babies are more sensitive to radiation and are at greater risk for harm, so if your daughter is pregnant, be sure to tell her doctor and the X-ray technician.

What is a kidney, ureter, and bladder X-ray?
A kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) X-ray may be performed to assess the abdominal area for causes of abdominal pain, or to assess the organs and structures of the urinary and/or gastrointestinal (GI) system. A KUB X-ray may be the first diagnostic procedure used to assess the urinary system.

X-rays use invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs on film. X-rays are made by using external radiation to produce images of the body, its organs, and other internal structures for diagnostic purposes. X-rays pass through body tissues onto specially treated plates (similar to camera film) and a "negative" type picture is made (the more solid a structure is, the whiter it appears on the film). Digital films and digital media are more commonly used now than the film media.

Other related procedures that may be used to diagnose problems of the urinary organs of the abdomen include computed tomography (CT scan) of the kidney , kidney ultrasound , kidney scan , cystography , cystometry , cystoscopy , intravenous pyelogram , kidney biopsy , magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) , prostate ultrasound , retrograde cystography , retrograde pyelogram , uroflowmetry , and renal venogram .

Illustration of the anatomy of the urinary system, front view
How does the urinary system work?
The body takes nutrients from food and converts them to energy. After the body has taken the food components that it needs, waste products are left behind in the bowel and in the blood.

The urinary system helps the body to eliminate liquid waste in the blood called urea, and keeps chemicals, such as potassium and sodium, and water in balance. Urea is produced when foods containing protein, such as meat, poultry, and certain vegetables, are broken down in the body. Urea is carried in the bloodstream to the kidneys, where it is removed along with water and other wastes in the form of urine.

Urinary system parts and their functions:
Two kidneys. This pair of purplish-brown organs is located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. Their function is to:

remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine

keep a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood

produce erythropoietin, a hormone that aids the formation of red blood cells

regulate blood pressure

The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus, and a small tube called a renal tubule. Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.

Two ureters. These narrow tubes carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Muscles in the ureter walls continually tighten and relax forcing urine downward, away from the kidneys. If urine backs up, or is allowed to stand still, a kidney infection can develop. About every 10 to 15 seconds, small amounts of urine are emptied into the bladder from the ureters.

Bladder. This triangle-shaped, hollow organ located in the pelvis. It is held in place by ligaments that are attached to other organs and the pelvic bones. The bladder's walls relax and expand to store urine, and contract and flatten to empty urine through the urethra. The typical healthy adult bladder can store up to two cups of urine for two to five hours.

Two sphincter muscles. These circular muscles help keep urine from leaking by closing tightly like a rubber band around the opening of the bladder.

Nerves in the bladder. The nerves alert a person when it is time to urinate, or empty the bladder.

Urethra. This tube allows urine to pass outside the body. The brain signals the bladder muscles to tighten, which squeezes urine out of the bladder. At the same time, the brain signals the sphincter muscles to relax to let urine exit the bladder through the urethra. When all the signals occur in the correct order, normal urination occurs.

Facts about urine:
Adults pass about a quart and a half of urine each day, depending on the fluids and foods consumed.

The volume of urine formed at night is about half that formed in the daytime.

Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

The tissues of the bladder are isolated from urine and toxic substances by a coating that discourages bacteria from attaching and growing on the bladder wall.

Reasons for the procedure
A KUB X-ray may be performed to help diagnose the cause of abdominal pain, such as masses, perforations, or obstruction. A KUB X-ray may be taken to evaluate the urinary tract before other diagnostic procedures are performed. Basic information regarding the size, shape, and position of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder may be obtained with a KUB X-ray. The presence of calcifications ( kidney stones ) in the kidneys or ureters may be noted.

There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend a KUB X-ray.

Risks of the procedure
You may want to ask your doctor about the amount of radiation used during the procedure and the risks related to your particular situation. It is a good idea to keep a record of your past history of radiation exposure, such as previous scans and other types of X-rays, so that you can inform your doctor. Risks associated with radiation exposure may be related to the cumulative number of X-ray examinations and/or treatments over a long period of time.

Notify your health care provider if you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant. Radiation exposure during pregnancy may lead to birth defects.

There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your physician prior to the procedure.

Certain factors or conditions may interfere with the accuracy of a KUB X-ray. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:

Recent barium X-rays of the abdomen

Gas , feces, or foreign body in the intestine

Uterine or ovarian masses, such as calcified fibromas of the uterus or ovarian lesions

Before the procedure
Your doctor will explain the procedure to you and offer you the opportunity to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure.

Generally, no prior preparation, such as fasting or sedation, is required.

Notify the radiologic technologist if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant.

Notify your doctor and radiologic technologist if you have taken a medication that contains bismuth, such as Pepto-Bismol, in the past four days. Medications that contain bismuth may interfere with testing procedures.

Based on your medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation.

During the procedure
A KUB X-ray may be performed on an outpatient basis or as part of your stay in a hospital. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and your doctor's practices.

Generally, a KUB X-ray follows this process:

You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that might interfere with the procedure.

If you are asked to remove clothing, you will be given a gown to wear.

You will be positioned in a manner that carefully places the part of the abdomen that is to be X-rayed between the X-ray machine and a cassette containing the X-ray film or digital media. You may be asked to stand erect, to lie flat on a table, or to lie on your side on a table, depending on the X-ray view your doctor has requested. You may have X-rays taken from more than one position.

Body parts not being imaged may be covered with a lead apron (shield) to avoid exposure to the X-rays.

Once you are positioned, the radiologic technologist will ask you to hold still for a few moments while the X-ray exposure is made.

It is extremely important to remain completely still while the exposure is made, as any movement may distort the image and even require another X-ray to be done to obtain a clear image of the body part in question.

The X-ray beam will be focused on the area to be photographed.

The radiologic technologist will step behind a protective window while the image is taken.

While the X-ray procedure itself causes no pain, the manipulation of the body part being examined may cause some discomfort or pain, particularly in the case of a recent injury or invasive procedure, such as surgery. The radiologic technologist will use all possible comfort measures and complete the procedure as quickly as possible to minimize any discomfort or pain.

After the procedure
Generally, there is no special type of care following a KUB X-ray. However, your doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation.

An arthrogram is a test using X-rays to obtain a series of pictures of a joint after a contrast material (such as a dye, water, air, or a combination of these) has been injected into the joint. This allows your doctor to see the soft tissue structures of your joint, such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and your joint capsule. These structures are not seen on a plain X-ray without contrast material. A special type of X-ray, called fluoroscopy, is used to take pictures of the joint.

An arthrogram is used to check a joint to find out what is causing your symptoms or problem with your joint. An arthrogram may be more useful than a regular X-ray because it shows the surface of soft tissues lining the joint as well as the joint bones. A regular X-ray only shows the bones of the joint. This test can be done on your hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or jaw (temporomandibular joint).

Other tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), give different information about a joint. They may be used with an arthrogram or when an arthrogram does not give a clear picture of the joint.

Tell your doctor before your arthrogram if you:

Are or might be pregnant.
Are allergic to any type of contrast material.
Are allergic to iodine. The dye used for an arthrogram may contain iodine.
Are allergic to any medicines, including anesthetics.
Have ever had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) from any substance, such as a bee sting or eating shellfish.
Have asthma.
Have bleeding problems or are taking blood-thinning medicines.
Have arthritis that is bothering you at the time of your test.
Have a known infection in or around your joint. The dye may make your infection worse.
Have diabetes or take metformin (Glucophage) for your diabetes.
You will be asked to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of the test and agree to have it done.

An arthrogram is usually done by a doctor who specializes in interpreting X-rays (radiologist).

You will be asked to remove any jewellery or metal objects from the joint area. You will then sit or lie down with your joint under an X-ray viewer (fluoroscope) that is hooked to a video screen that can show X-ray pictures. The skin over your joint is cleaned with a special soap and draped with sterile towels. A local anesthetic is used to numb the skin and tissues over the joint.

A needle is put into your joint area. Joint fluid may be removed so that more contrast material (such as dye or air) can be put into the joint. A sample of joint fluid may be sent to a lab to be looked at under a microscope. The fluoroscope shows that the needle is placed correctly in your joint. The dye or air is then put through the needle into your joint. The joint may be injected with both dye and air (double-contrast arthrogram). The needle is then removed.

You may be asked to move your joint around to help the dye or air spread inside your joint. Pictures from the fluoroscope show if the dye has filled your entire joint. Hold as still as possible while the X-rays are being taken unless your doctor tells you to move your joint through its entire range of motion. The X-rays need to be taken quickly, before the dye spreads to other tissues around your joint.

If you are having a CT scan or MRI after an arthrogram, a small amount of a medicine called epinephrine may be mixed with the dye to stop the dye from spreading into other tissues.

An arthrogram usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes.

After the arthrogram, rest your joint for about 12 hours. Do not do any strenuous activity for 1 to 2 days. Use ice for any swelling and use pain medicine for any pain. If a bandage or wrap is put on your joint following an arthrogram, you will be told how long to use it.

X-rays are a common imaging test that uses small amounts of high-energy electromagnetic radiation to produce images for doctors to view the inside of the body. The level of exposure is considered safe for adults. It is not considered safe for a developing fetus so it is very important that a pregnant patient informs a physician of their pregnancy before having an X-ray taken.

X-rays pass through skin and soft tissue mostly, but do not pass through bone or metal easily. As different tissues in the body absorb different amounts of radiation, the images will show different shades of black and white.

One of the most common uses of an X-ray is to check for broken bones after an accident, but they are also used under many other circumstances.

X-rays are used to identify, diagnose, and treat many types of medical conditions. It is a key element and often times the first to be done in the diagnosis process.

Reasons for a Jaw and Teeth X-Ray:
X-rays are used for a multitude of reasons. A physician may order an X-ray to check for certain cancers in different parts of the body by detecting abnormal tumors, growths or lumps.

A jaw and teeth X-ray is used to view the area of the body where a patient is experiencing pain, swelling, or other abnormalities that require an internal view of the organs. The X-ray can help a physician find a cause for the problems occurring.

X-rays can be used to diagnose a disease, monitor the progression of the disease, determine a treatment plan, and see the effect of a treatment plan.

Physicians use X-rays to locate foreign objects within the body and to guide them in setting broken bones.

A Jaw and Teeth X-Ray may help diagnose (find):
An X-ray of the teeth and jaw can show signs of tooth decay, and is used by dentists in particular to check for cavities in patient's teeth.

Teeth and jaw X-rays can detect fractures and infections in the teeth and jaw.

X-rays of the teeth and jaw can also show diseases of the teeth and jaw.

An X-ray of the teeth is often used when teeth are not properly aligned.