Timely diagnosis of tuberculosis and other lung diseases significantly increases the chances of successful treatment and recovery of a person. One of the most affordable preventive studies is fluorography, which requires a minimum of time and preparation. In addition, the validity of fluorography is 1 year. Therefore, you will not have to do it often.
Why do we need fluorography?
Fluorography is a type of X-ray examination that is widely used to diagnose pathologies of the lungs and the cardiovascular system. It is affordable and does not require a lot of time. There are even portable devices that are located inside a specially equipped cab of a truck, which allows it to be carried out on the road. This type of research is characterized by mobility, which is valuable for medical examination of the population in remote villages and small towns.
The expiration date of fluorography allows you to performit is not more than 1 time per year, so a person is rarely exposed to ionizing radiation. The picture makes it possible to suspect the development of tuberculosis, tumor diseases and sclerotic changes in blood vessels. Fluorography displays some pathologies of the heart (for example, an increase in its departments in size), so that the patient can contact a cardiologist in a timely manner for more detailed diagnosis and treatment.
How is this procedure different from an x-ray?
A picture of the lungs with fluorography is much smaller than an x-ray. But for preventive purposes, this is enough (for example, to detect tuberculosis). In addition, it is performed free of charge in state medical institutions, and for x-rays you need to buy expensive film. Obvious deviations from the norm will still be visible, and in this case, the patient will be recommended an additional examination.
The disadvantage of standard fluorography is that the radiation dose during the procedure is 0.3 mSv, while with X-rays this figure is 0.1 mSv. Therefore, it is undesirable to do it more than once a year (although modern research suggests the use of digital devices that reduce the ionization dose). By observing the recommended duration of fluorography, you can protect the body from the harmful effects of the procedure. The radiation exposure received with it corresponds to the dose of radiation that a person receives monthly from natural sources.
Survey expiry date
Validity of fluorography made in prophylacticpurposes for a he althy person - 1 year. A certificate of this study may be required:
- when entering a university (in some educational institutions with overdue results of fluorography, they are not even allowed to the session, because they do not want to risk the he alth of students);
- when applying for a job (especially for doctors, teachers, educators and food workers);
- before surgery;
- during conscription.
The duration of fluorography for the maternity hospital is also important, especially for family members of the pregnant woman who will visit her after the baby is born or be present at the birth. Also, a person will not be able to visit any public pool and many sports complexes until they present a certificate of completion of this study.
Fluorography during pregnancy: what you need to know?
The validity period of fluorography (in the maternity hospital they will require a certificate of its passage from each family member) is important not so much for the woman in labor as for her husband, if he is present at the partner birth. The period of validity of the results does not change from this - it is 1 year. The latest results of a pregnant woman's fluorography are also recorded in the exchange card, but even if it is overdue, no one will ask her, much less force her to redo the picture (as this can be dangerous for the fetus).
Very important expiration datefluorography for relatives of a pregnant woman, if they plan to visit her after childbirth. Considering that the joint stay of mother and child is now increasingly practiced, the chance of risky contact of the newborn with pathogenic microorganisms increases. They can be brought to a medical facility by visitors to women in labor, so it is advisable for sick and unexamined people to avoid such places.
Preparing for the study
The procedure does not require special preparation. The patient undresses to the waist and goes into the fluorography booth. There, he needs to lean very tightly against the screen of the apparatus and rest his chin against a special recess (the doctor or laboratory assistant will tell you how to do this correctly). The person then needs to inhale and hold the breath for a few moments (at which time the picture will be taken).
The result of fluorography with a description in a regular clinic is ready, as a rule, the next day. But if the study was carried out not on a planned basis, but on an emergency basis, then a picture with a conclusion can be handed out already 20-30 minutes after the examination.
Can a person be forced to undergo a fluorography?
Most medical procedures and manipulations are performed with the consent of the patient. He has the right to refuse certain diagnostic studies or therapeutic interventions, but before doing this, he needs to understand the possible consequences. The validity of fluorography by law is 1 year.
This study is also not carried out earlier than 365 calendar days fromthe last x-ray or computed tomography of the lungs, as they display a complete picture of the state of the respiratory system. It is impossible to force to undergo the procedure earlier, as this can be harmful to he alth.
You should not refuse the planned annual fluorography. Since the post-Soviet countries have an unfavorable epidemiological situation for tuberculosis, it is better not to neglect preventive measures. Knowing what duration of fluorography is considered optimal, you can significantly reduce the risk of adverse effects on the body.
Contraindications for testing
Fluorography is not performed for children under 15 years of age, if necessary, they are prescribed an x-ray (due to lower radiation exposure). Fluorography is also contraindicated in such conditions:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- Severe conditions in which the patient cannot stand or lie down during the examination.
Annual fluorography is a good way to diagnose many diseases of the respiratory system and heart (tuberculosis, oncological processes, aortic sclerosis). Considering the ratio of harm from radiation and information content, it is advisable to undergo this procedure annually. If the recommended intervals between diagnostic studies are not reduced, the risk of undesirable consequences for the body is minimal, and the benefits are high. With timely detected diseases, the patient's chances for successful treatment and full recoveryincrease several times.
