Chest X-ray: Results
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Results
A chest X-ray is a picture of the chest to see your heart 
, lungs , airway, blood vessels, and lymph nodes. A chest X-ray also shows the bones of your chest, including your breastbone , ribs , collarbone , and the upper part of your spine . A chest X-ray is the most common imaging test used to find problems inside the chest.
In an emergency, the results of a chest X-ray can be available within a few minutes for review by your doctor. If it is not an emergency, results are usually ready in 1 or 2 days.
| Normal: | The lungs look normal in size and shape, and the lung tissue looks normal. No growths or other masses can be seen within the lungs. The pleural spaces |
|---|---|
The heart looks normal in size, shape, and the heart tissue looks normal. The blood vessels leading to and from the heart also are normal in size, shape, and appearance. | |
The bones including the spine and ribs look normal. | |
The diaphragm looks normal in shape and location. | |
No abnormal collection of fluid or air is seen, and no foreign objects are seen. | |
All tubes, catheters, or other medical devices are in their correct positions in the chest. | |
| Abnormal: | An infection, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, is present. |
Problems such as a tumor, injury, or a condition such as edema from heart failure may be seen. In some cases, more X-rays or other tests may be needed to see the problem clearly. | |
A problem such as an enlarged heart—which could be caused by heart damage, heart valve disease, or fluid around the heart—is seen. Or a problem of the blood vessels, such as an enlarged aorta, an aneurysm, or hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), may be seen. | |
Fluid is seen in the lungs (pulmonary edema) or around the lungs (pleural effusion), or air is seen in the spaces around a lung (pneumothorax). | |
Broken bones (fractures) are seen in the rib cage, collarbone, shoulder, or spine. | |
Enlarged lymph nodes are seen. | |
A foreign object is seen in the esophagus, breathing tubes, or lungs. | |
A tube, catheter, or other medical device looks like it has moved out of the correct position. |
| Last updated: | September 11, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine, Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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