X-ray X-ray
Passes X-rays through the body to produce a flat two-dimensional image. The fastest, cheapest and most widely available imaging technique.
What it can show
Fractures and alignment. Lung fields. Air and fluid in cavities. Radio-opaque foreign bodies.
What it cannot show
Poor for soft tissue: ligaments, cartilage, discs, tendons, brain. A normal chest film does NOT rule out every lung problem.
This is the half people skip. A normal result answers one question, not every question.
Tell the staff before you start
Pregnancy, or possible pregnancy.
Also bring the full list of every medicine and supplement you take. Things bought without a prescription belong on that list too.