X-rays use small amounts of radiation to produce images of bones and internal organs of the body. One of the oldest forms of creating medical images, x-rays are painless tests routinely used to diagnose diseases and help physicians plan more effective treatment methods.

Bones, joints, the chest and the abdomen are parts of the body frequently examined through x-rays. Physicians can use x-rays to:

• Screen for disorders of the heart or lungs (e.g., asthma, emphysema, pneumonia)

• Evaluate infections of the sinuses (e.g., rhinosinusitis)
  
  
• Provide baseline information for diagnosis and future comparison of long-term conditions such as asthma and allergies
  
  
• Detect and diagnose cancer
  
  
• Discover whether or not certain organs are infected
  
  
• Identify the presence of foreign objects (e.g., coins or metal lodged in the esophagus, airway or lungs)

The procedures can be performed in a physician’s office, at a diagnostic laboratory or in a hospital radiology department. The test generally takes only a few minutes and patients are typically asked to remain in one or more positions as a series of x-rays are taken showing different angles of a body part.

Although x-rays expose patients to small amounts of potentially harmful radiation, the risk of serious damage is small when the procedure is done correctly. Most physicians believe the benefits of information learned from x-rays far outweigh any potential risks from the procedure.