Medical experts often depend on medical imaging when trying to diagnose conditions since a lot of conditions are hard to treat without seeing what is happening inside a patient’s body. X-ray is a type of medical imaging that has been around for many decades. An X-ray is an electromagnetic radiation utilized for creating images of bones, soft tissue structures, and joints inside the body. It helps doctors diagnose, monitor, and treat a lot of medical conditions. But, the type of X-Ray in Bakersfield that doctors will order depends on the purpose. For instance, they may order a mammogram to examine a patient’s breasts to check for breast cancer lumps.
Importance Of X-Rays
X-rays are used to determine the course of treatment and spot underlying conditions that might interfere with the treatment. For instance, people come to their chiropractors after they sustain an injury. Usually, X-rays are necessary to determine the extent of the injury. Also, X-rays are performed on older patients to detect the possibility of osteoporosis and in patients who have a history of some kinds of arthritis and tumors.
Moreover, X-rays are used to examine the source of a patient’s pain and discomfort, check the effectiveness of a treatment, and monitor a condition’s progress. Some patients may need to go through examinations where they have to swallow or get a contrast dye injection to create a clearer image.
How X-Rays Work
X-rays involve passing an X-ray beam through the body. A part of the rays is absorbed or spread by the internal structures of the body. The rest are transferred to a device that detects the rays like a computer screen or film. X-rays give off a small amount of radiation, which is safer for all except developing babies.
What The X-Ray Procedure Includes
Every kind of X-ray procedure has its preparation specifics. Before the capturing of images, the doctor will ask female patients if they are pregnant or ask about their last menstrual period to make sure it’s safe to take the radiographs. Then, the patient will be asked to remove their clothing over the portion of their body to be captured. Jewelry must be removed during the xrays procedure to avoid major problems. Xrays don't affect tattoos though like MRIs can so they don't need to be covered or concealed.
X-Ray Extra Information
A radiologist or X-ray technologist will perform the X-ray in the radiology department of a hospital, dental office, or clinic that offers diagnostic services. After the patient has fully prepared, the technician or radiologist will tell them how they position their body to capture clear images. The patient must stay still when images are being taken to the xray comes out correctly.