Special care is taken during x-ray examinations to ensure maximum safety for the patient by shielding the abdomen and pelvis with a lead apron, with the exception of those examinations in which the abdomen and pelvis is being imaged. Women should always inform their doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. During the procedure, a patient is exposed to approximately 20 milliroentgens of radiation. This compares with the 100 milliroentgens of radiation we are all exposed to each year from sources such as the ultraviolet rays of the sun and the traces of uranium found in the soil. Thus, scatter or stray radiation is minimized and those parts of a patient's body not being imaged receive minimal exposure.
Chest radiography has limitations.
Some diseases of the lung will not show up on the image. Therefore, a normal chest radiograph does not necessarily rule out pulmonary problems. Patients with asthma, for example, can have normal chest radiographs. Therefore, chest radiography and a physical examination may be done jointly. The information each procedure provides can give a physician a clearer understanding of a patient's health.