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5007 Summerville Road Phenix City, AL 36867

1910 E. Samford Avenue

Auburn, AL 36830

100 Bascom Ct.

Columbus, GA 31909

X-ray is one of the oldest, most common imaging technologies.  A quick, painless test produces images of the structures inside your body — particularly your bones.  

X-ray beams can pass through your body, but, depending upon the density of the material they pass through, they are absorbed in different amounts, resulting in different colors.   Dense materials, such as bone and metal, show up as white on X-rays.  The air in your lungs shows up as black.  Fat, muscle, and organs appear as shades of gray.

X-rays are widely used for diagnostic purposes.  They can isolate and pinpoint many things from broken bones, lung infections, digestive problems and kidney stones.  X-ray imaging is the fastest and easiest way for a physician to view and assess these conditions as well as other common abnormalities.

X-ray technology is used to examine many parts of the body.  For example:

Bones and teeth

• Fractures and infections. In most cases, fractures and infections in bones and teeth show up clearly on X-rays.

• Arthritis -  X-rays of your joints can reveal evidence of arthritis.  X-rays taken over the years can help your doctor determine if your arthritis is worsening.

• Dental decay - Dentists use X-rays to check for cavities in your teeth.

• Osteoporosis - Special types of X-ray tests can measure the density of your bones.  Please see our section on Dexa/Bone Density Scanning which is offered at Bridgeway Diagnostics.

• Bone cancer - X-rays can also reveal tumors in your bones.

What to wear

You will be asked to undress the part of your body that requires examination. You may wear a gown to cover yourself during the exam, depending on which area is being X-rayed. You may also be asked to remove jewelry, eyeglasses and any metal objects that may obscure the X-ray image, because these objects can show up on an X-ray.

A technologist will position your body between the X-ray camera and the digital X-ray detector. You may be asked to move into different positions in order to take views from multiple angles. You may also be asked to hold your breath for a moment while the image is captured. This keeps your body still and obtains the best quality image.

Your Results

X-rays are saved digitally on computers. Digital images can be viewed on-screen within minutes. The images will be read and interpreted by a radiologist, who will report the findings to your physician.  Your physician will contact you after that report.  In an emergency, your X-ray results can be made available to your doctor immediately.

For your safety, please notify our scheduling department and technologists if you believe you may be pregnant.

Q: What about radiation?  That sounds risky.

A: X-rays do use radiation, but we keep the dose very low.  However, X-rays accumulate, so an X-ray should only be conducted if it is necessary.  The exception to safety is for women who may be pregnant.  In those cases, it is important to discuss the procedure with your physician and to alert our radiologist.

Abdomen

• Digestive tract problems. Barium, a contrast medium delivered in a drink or in an enema, can help reveal problems anywhere in your digestive system. Please see our separate section on Fluoroscopy at Bridgeway Diagnostics.

• Swallowed items.  If your child has swallowed something like a key or a coin, an X-ray can show the location of that object.

Chest

• Lung infections or conditions. Evidence of problems such as pneumonia, tuberculosis or lung cancer can show up on chest X-rays.

• Breast cancer.  Mammography is a special type of X-ray test used to examine breast tissue.  Please see our separate section on Mammography at Bridgeway Diagnostics.

• Enlarged heart. One of the signs of congestive heart failure is an enlarged heart, which shows up clearly on X-rays.

• Blocked blood vessels.  Injecting a contrast material that contains iodine can help highlight sections of your circulatory system so that they can be seen on X-rays.