X-ray of the spine is a standard procedure for obtaining images of internal tissues, bones and organs on film. It is prescribed for many reasons, including diagnosing tumors or bone damage.
Spine x-ray can be taken to evaluate any part of the spine:
- Cervical, which consists of seven vertebrae.
- Thoracic, consisting of 12 vertebrae.
- Lumbar: five vertebrae in the lower back.
- The sacrum, which consists of five small fused vertebrae.
They are all about the same size, but differ in structure, coating and articular surfaces. The size of the image is determined taking into account the illness and complaints of the patient.
X-ray of the spine can be ordered:
- to identify the causes of pain in the back or neck;
- for fracture, arthritis, disc degeneration;
- for diagnosing neoplasms;
- for spinal disorders such as scoliosis, kyphosis or congenital anomalies.
There may be other reasons why a doctor recommends a spinal x-ray.
Before you agree to a survey, you need to get enough information about it. After all, an X-ray of the spine is not an easy procedure. No special preparation is required, but the patient must be aware that this is some kind of radiation and must be aware of where, when and who will take pictures.
X-ray of the spine is strictly contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is allowed only in emergency situations, when the he alth of the woman is more important than the condition of the fetus. This is due to the fact that the fetus has not yet formed and radiation will have a bad effect on its development.
Before procedure:
- The doctor must explain the essence of the procedure and answer questions that the patient may have.
- No preparation required, such as diet or medication of any kind.
- You need to let your doctor know if you think you're pregnant.
- Also, a recent barium x-ray of the esophagus may interfere with getting a good picture of the lower back.
As a rule, an X-ray of the spine or the entire back is done in this way:
- You will be asked to remove jewelry, hairpins, glasses, hearing aids and other metal objects that will interfere with the procedure.
- If you need to remove items of clothing, you will be provided with a special bathrobe.
- You will need to borrowappropriate position to get the correct shot.
- Parts of the body that are not filmed are covered with a lead apron (shield) to avoid exposure to x-rays.
- If a procedure is performed to identify injury, special attention should be given to measures to prevent further injury. For example, an x-ray of the cervical spine may require the use of a neck brace.
- Sometimes it is necessary to take pictures in several different positions. It is extremely important to stay still while the picture is being taken, as any movement can distort the image.
- The X-ray beam is focused.
- The doctor goes into the protective room for the duration of the beam robots.
X-rays of the spine are not painful, but manipulation of various parts of the body can cause discomfort or pain, especially in the case of recent trauma or invasive procedures such as surgery. The doctor should use all possible measures to ensure comfort, complete the procedure as quickly as possible, and minimize pain.
Diagnosis of the spine, back or neck can also be done with a myelogram (myelogram), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or bone scan.
