Spinal X-ray

Content provided by Healthwise

Test Overview

Spinal X-rays are pictures of the spine to find spinal fractures, infections, dislocations, tumors, bone spurs, or disc disease. Spinal X-rays are also done to check the curvature of the spine or for spinal defects.

X-rays are a form of radiation, like light or radio waves, that are focused into a beam, much like a flashlight beam. X-rays can pass through most objects, including the human body. X-rays make a picture by striking a detector that either exposes a film or sends the picture to a computer. Dense tissues in the body, such as bones, block (absorb) many of the X-rays and look white on an X-ray picture. Less dense tissues, such as muscles and organs, block fewer of the X-rays (more of the X-rays pass through) and look like shades of gray on an X-ray. X-rays that pass only through air look black.

The spine is a column of 33 bones (vertebrae). Between most of the spinal bones are pads of cartilage (discs ) that cushion the bones from shock and allow movement between them. There are four common types of spinal X-rays:

• Cervical spine X-ray. This X-ray test takes pictures of the 7 neck (cervical) bones.
• Thoracic spine X-ray. This X-ray test takes pictures of the 12 chest (thoracic) bones.
• Lumbosacral spine X-ray. This X-ray test takes pictures of the 5 bones of the lower back (lumbar vertebrae) and a view of the 5 fused bones at the bottom of the spine (sacrum).
• Sacrum/coccyx X-ray. This X-ray test takes a detailed view of the 5 fused bones at the bottom of the spine (sacrum) and the 4 small fused bones of the tailbone (coccyx).

The most common spinal X-rays are of the cervical vertebrae (C-spine films) and lumbosacral vertebrae (LS-spine films).

E-mail This | Print This Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Last updated:	May 10, 2006
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology, Kenneth B. Sutherland, CD, BSc, MD, FRCPC - Diagnostic Radiology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer