The technician will step behind a window barrier and turn on the X-ray machine. They may cover the other parts of your body with a special apron made of lead that blocks radiation. A drawer under the table holds the X-ray film or digital recording plate.Ī specially trained technician will position you on the table so that the section of your spine getting X-rayed is between the machine and the drawer with the film. An X-ray machine will be hanging above you. Also, anything that's made of metal may show up on an X-ray, so remove things like these beforehand: You may need to remove your clothes and wear a gown during the test.

Spinal X-Ray Preparationīefore your spinal X-ray, besides telling your doctor that you are or might be pregnant, let them know if you have an insulin pump or if you’ve had any other types of X-rays, like a barium X-ray, in recent months. They may suggest another type of imaging test. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant or think you might be. If you have concerns about it, talk to your doctor.īut unborn babies are more sensitive to radiation. There may be some risks from the number of X-rays over a long period of time. You may want to keep track of previous X-rays to let your doctor know about it. But the amount used in spinal X-rays is small, so the chance is low. Some worry that the radiation can cause changes in cells that may lead to cancer. While X-rays don't show as much detail as other imaging tests, they are often the tests doctors use at first to help them decide on your next steps.įor most people, X-rays are safe. Scans are also used in cases of direct trauma to the back, back pain with fever, or weakness or numbness in the limbs.

X-rays and imaging studies are generally used to confirm your symptoms and exam results to identify the source of pain. They can sometimes locate problems in connective tissue. X-rays are useful in pinpointing broken bones or skeletal defects.

Coccyx (four coccygeal vertebrae fuse to form one bone called the coccyx or tailbone)Ī spinal X-ray can help your doctor figure out if you have:.

Sacral area (five small, fused vertebrae in the base of the spine).

Lumbar spine (five vertebrae in the lower back).

Thoracic spine (12 vertebrae in the chest or trunk area).

Cervical spine (seven vertebrae in the neck).

Your doctor can take separate X-rays that focus on the different parts of the spine, which is made up of 33 small bones called vertebrae. Softer tissue, like fat or muscle, appears in shades of gray. Bones, and other parts of your body that are thick or dense, show up white in the picture. It records a black-and-white image on a special film or computer.

It can help your doctor find out what's causing your back or neck pain.Ī technician uses a machine that sends X-ray beams through your body. A spinal X-ray is a procedure that uses radiation to make detailed pictures of the bones of your spine.

Sciatica x rays