You'll need to remove jewelry from the waist up, too, since both clothing and jewelry can obscure the X-ray images. How you prepareīefore the chest X-ray, you generally undress from the waist up and wear an exam gown. The procedure can be performed in a way to protect your abdomen from the radiation. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant or might be pregnant.
But the amount of radiation from a chest X-ray is low - even lower than what you're exposed to through natural sources of radiation in the environment.Įven though the benefits of an X-ray outweigh the risk, you may be given a protective apron if you need multiple images.
You may be concerned about radiation exposure from chest X-rays, especially if you have them regularly.