One of the radiation methods for the diagnosis of internal organs is X-ray scans, or radiography. The resulting image is applied to a hard disk, special film or paper.
Survey appointment purpose
Fluoroscopy of the lungs is the most common and informative research method. This diagnostic method allows you to detect the presence of respiratory diseases:
- sarcoidosis;
- pneumonia (pneumonia);
- malignant neoplasms;
- tuberculosis;
- chest injuries ;
- the presence of foreign objects;
- pneumothorax and other various pathological processes.
In order to prevent pulmonary diseases in people employed in hazardous industries (chemical industry, construction (masons), mining (miners), etc.), an X-ray of the lungs is performed once a year (if necessary more often). What show research results in such cases?
The response of fluoroscopy allows you to timely prevent or recognize the disease and prescribe the necessary medication or other therapy.
The effect of radiation on the human body
Radiation exposure is considered as a radiation exposure, and some people refuse to perform this procedure. However, this is in vain, low energy rays are used in medicine, the radiation dose is negligible, and the human body is exposed to them for a short period. A few years ago, scientists proved that even repeated radiography (with medical indications) are not able to harm health. In some cases, this procedure is prescribed for pregnant women. Serious diseases that can be diagnosed with x-rays have more serious consequences than the minimum dose of radiation. As an alternative to conventional conventional X-ray, a digital one with an even lower radiation dose is currently available.
Indications
Consider the symptoms in which the attending doctor prescribes an x-ray of the lungs. What will show image, the tactics of further patient management will depend on this.
- Periodic pain in the sternum.
- Dyspnea.
- High body temperature that lasts a long time.
- Blood in the sputum.
- Long exhausting cough.
- A large amount of sputum.
- Dry cough.
For the purpose of prevention, fluorography, or X-ray, is shown to all citizens with a frequency of at least once every two years or more often in accordance with the recommendations of a medical professional.
Preparation and conduct of the procedure
Direction for an X-ray of the lungs is written out, how to prepare for it? Preliminary preparation is not required. Before the procedure, you need to remove jewelry (chains, beads, necklaces) so that they do not distort the result. Immediately prior to the procedure, the health care provider will ask you to wear a special skirt that wraps around your waist to protect your genitals from radiation. Next, the doctor selects the necessary projection (front, back, or sometimes the picture is taken while lying on its side).
Depending on the equipment on which the X-ray of the lungs was performed, the results will be instantaneous (digital method) or some time after processing and developing the film.
X-ray results
Have a lung x-ray done? What decryption shows, consider below:
- Aperture defects.
- The presence of fluid in the pleural cavity. Exclude swelling or pleurisy.
- A cavity in the lung indicates necrosis of the lung tissue. Diagnose tuberculosis, cancer or abscess.
- Focal small dimming are signs of pneumonia, tuberculosis. Large - a tumor of the bronchi, metastases to the lungs.
- Small foci that occur very often are sarcoidosis or tuberculosis.
- A large round shadow is progressive tuberculosis or a malignant neoplasm.
With the exception of the above, other changes in the lung tissue and lungs are detected that help to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Unfortunately, there are cases of a false result, or in cases when a study is conducted in the early stages of the disease, you may not see it. For an accurate conclusion, in addition to the results obtained, in addition to x-rays, other diagnostic methods are also used, and they also carry out the necessary laboratory tests.
X-ray Dimming
X-ray showed spots on the lungs? The reasons for their appearance may be: the patient's incorrect position during the procedure, poor-quality equipment, the presence of pathology. Exact decoding of radiography data can only be done by a doctor.
Formations in the form of white spots indicate the presence of tuberculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia, pathology in the pleura, and occupational diseases. If a person has had bronchitis, pneumonia, then spots can be found on the x-ray. They are regarded as residual manifestations of the disease, and they will disappear after a while.
If light spots are found in the upper parts of the lung, they diagnose tuberculosis, the main symptom of the first stage of which is the light path, going from the place where there is an inflammatory process to the root system. With timely and proper treatment, inflammation decreases and tissues undergo scarring. In the picture, a dark spot appears instead of white.
If the snapshot X-ray of the lungs shows that black spots are visible, this indicates an exacerbation and the presence of chronic pneumonia. After a course of drug treatment and complete recovery, the spots disappear. Dark formations can also cause malignant pathologies. The identification of dark spots in a practically healthy person indicates long-term smoking, in children - a foreign body.
Does X-ray show pneumonia?
An X-ray study in pneumonia is both a method for detecting a disease and monitoring its course.
In order to recognize pneumonia, you need to know how the spots look on the pictures with such a pathology. They may differ in size and location:
- global spotted formations on the entire surface of the lungs;
- subtotal - completely all fields (with the exception of the upper lobes);
- segmental - spots within the boundaries of the segment;
- small spotted formations up to 3 mm with limited margins.
As a result of the development of the inflammatory process in the human lungs, fuzzy spots with blurred contours are formed and the x-ray shows pneumonia. The manifestation of spotted formations depends on the stage of the disease. More pronounced spots in advanced cases.
X-ray with bronchitis
Symptoms of the disease are similar to pneumonia. To confirm the diagnosis with a prolonged course of the disease, certain types of examinations are prescribed, including radiography, which will allow you to assess the condition of the respiratory system and clarify the diagnosis.
Symptoms in a patient in whom fluorography is indicated (an X-ray of the lungs shows bronchitis in this case):
- a change in blood, according to laboratory tests;
- severe persistent shortness of breath;
- prolonged increase in body temperature;
- presumption of pneumonia;
- signs of obstruction.
According to the results of the study on x-rays, pay attention to the following points in the lungs:
- fuzzy contours;
- the presence of deformation of the root;
- changes in the drawing;
- the presence of plate foci;
- areas of fluid accumulation.
Opinions of experts about the information content of x-rays in the detection of bronchitis disease were divided. However, this type of research is widely used in practical medicine.
X-ray with tuberculosis
If this serious disease is suspected, this type of lung examination will exclude or confirm the pathology.
The advantages of fluoroscopy for pulmonary tuberculosis is the ability to:
- carry out various diagnostics of the disease;
- exclude other respiratory pathologies, such as pneumonia, cancer, abscess, and others;
- determine the nature of damage to lung tissue;
- see the prevalence of the lesion;
- look at the location of pathological foci.
Therefore to the question whether an X-ray will show pulmonary tuberculosis can be answered in the affirmative. However, this does not exclude the possibility of additional manipulations to accurately confirm the diagnosis. X-rays reveal different types of tuberculosis:
- intrathoracic lymph nodes;
- disseminated;
- focal;
- infiltration;
- caseous pneumonia;
- fibrocavernous;
- cirrhotic.
Does X-ray show lung cancer?
This disease is one of the formidable ailments of man in recent decades. A chest x-ray is considered a diagnostic method for identifying this pathology at the earliest stages of its development. Signs or symptoms of the disease may include:
- lethargy, constant drowsiness and weakness;
- working capacity at zero;
- regular fevers with apparent well-being;
- dyspnea;
- whistling breath;
- lingering cough that does not respond to therapy;
- sputum production with blood;
- lack of appetite;
- with coughing attacks, the presence of pain.
To exclude the disease, the doctor prescribes an examination. X-ray will show lung cancer required, since this method is highly informative.
Depending on the type of tumor and its location, there will be a different picture on x-ray photographs. To make an accurate diagnosis, the attending doctor will conduct additional examinations and, assessing the general condition of the patient, will prescribe adequate therapy.
X-ray of the lungs in children
If your child has been prescribed an x-ray, then you should familiarize yourself with the following points:
- is there an alternative type of examination;
- Is there a vital need for this procedure.
If in doubt, consult another specialist.
In exceptional cases, the younger generation is prescribed radiography. Basically, when this is the only manipulation with which it is possible to exclude or confirm the diagnosis.
One of the parents enters the office with the child. In order to reduce the negative impact of radiation, all parts of the body of the baby and his representative are protected with lead screens. The procedure lasts several minutes, and your baby will not get tired. If an X-ray of the lungs indicates that a lesion is present, the doctor will prescribe treatment and the child will quickly recover.
Radioscopy is an effective method for diagnosing various diseases and in experienced hands provides invaluable assistance to the medical community.