Preparation for the examination

Before the actual examination, the upper body must usually be undressed. Any kind of jewelry on the upper body should also be removed. Shortly before the chest X-ray is taken, the staff leaves the room where the X-ray is performed.

The image itself then only takes a few milliseconds. Afterwards, the patient can usually leave the practice or department immediately. This topic might also be of interest to you: X-ray examination of a child

Diagnosis of the image

The findings of an X-ray examination of the ribcage are made by a specialist in radiology either in the practice or in the radiology department of the hospital where the examination was performed. The findings are then sent to the referring physician or the physician who requested the X-ray. If medically necessary, this can also be done on the same day.

Duration of the examination

An X-ray of the chest takes only a few minutes. Most of the time is spent on preparation. The actual exposure takes only a moment in the range of a few milliseconds.

Do I have to undress from the chest during an X-ray?

As a rule, for an X-ray examination of the chest, you will be asked to undress the upper body and remove necklaces. Even though the X-rays can penetrate the clothing, it can be falsified by overlapping. During the examination, however, one is alone in the X-ray room and, as a rule, privacy is guaranteed. In exceptional cases it is permitted, for example, to keep on a thin undershirt.

Which doctor will perform this?

The actual X-ray examination of the chest is usually not performed directly by the doctor but by a suitably trained specialist. The arrangement or indication can be carried out by the physician in principle. The X-ray image is evaluated and assessed by a radiology specialist. This is done either in the hospital or in a radiological practice.