Cost of Chest X-Ray PA View in India
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What is an X-ray Chest PA view?
An X-ray of Chest is a painless and non-invasive test that offers an in-depth posteroanterior image of the chest and its internal structure. The test helps visualize the pictures of the heart, diaphragm, food pipe, and lungs. In this test, the bones look white while the other soft tissues look dark. This test is highly instrumental in diagnosing a complete assortment of chronic and acute conditions of the organs of thoracic activity. It is also one of the most sensitive plain radiographs for detecting pneumoperitoneum and intraperitoneal gas in patients with severe abdominal pain.
Why is the X-ray Chest PA view necessary?
The X-ray chest PA view is used for detecting
- heart enlargement,
- fractures or injuries,
- abnormal growths or tumors in the chest wall,
- food pipe associated pathologies,
- congenital disabilities and perforation of the diaphragm.
- Lung infections and the presence of air between the chest wall and the lungs. This condition is called pneumothorax.
- Fluid around the heart.
Who should get the X-ray Chest PA view done?
Both men and women of almost all ages can get the X-ray chest PA view done. The X-ray produces pictures of the blood vessels, the heart, and the lungs, along with the airways and the bones of the spine and the chest. Men and women who go to their doctors in an emergency or visit them normally with chest pain, shortness of breath, or chest injury will typically need to go through the X-ray of chest. The X-ray helps general practitioners determine whether the patient has heart issues, pneumonia, collapsed lung, emphysema, broken ribs, cancer, or various other conditions.
Disclaimer: It is advised to always consult your doctor for interpreting the test reports.
What precautions should I take?
- Please follow the instructions suggested by your doctor
- Inform if you are on any medications or if any treatment is going on
- Show your old reports, if any
- Inform if one is pregnant / breast-feeding / menstruating.
What does the X-ray Chest PA view measure?
The X-ray chest PA view provides a posteroanterior X-ray image of the chest wall. The doctors recommend this test for:
- identifying fractures and muscle injuries in the collar bone, ribs, sternum, and shoulder blades.
- Monitoring the effectiveness of a certain ongoing treatment.
- Diagnosing diseases of the heart and the lungs and even the other organs located in the thoracic cavity.
What are the tests included in the X-ray Chest PA View?
There are no tests included in the X-ray of chest because this is itself a test used for diagnosing the internal structures of the chest and even its surroundings.
X-ray Chest PA View Preparation
There is no such preparation needed on the part of the patients before going for the X-ray of chest. Nevertheless, wear comfortable and loose clothing without metal objects like zippers, hooks, and buttons. Based on the scan area, the patient might have to change their dress and get into a hospital gown. All kinds of jewelry should be removed before the X-ray as they might interfere with the X-ray beams. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should inform their doctors before undergoing the test. The doctor and even the staff present at the diagnostic center should know about your pacemaker device, implants, or vascular stents, if any. The patient is not allowed to take any electronic device to the test area. Your doctor should also know about the different medicines you are taking before the test.
X-ray Chest PA View Procedure
The licensed lab technician at the center or hospital will guide you best for the test process.
What to expect after the X-ray Chest PA view is done?
Once your X-ray chest PA view is complete, the technician will ask you to wait for a few minutes while they have a look at the images. In case any of these images are distorted or blurry, the technician might retake the X-ray. Next, the X-ray images are further sent to the radiologists for reviewing them and bringing forward both normal and abnormal findings. The healthcare providers also review the images and the radiologist’s report. The doctor then discusses the results of the X-ray with the patient.
When will I get the X-ray Chest PA view report?
For non-emergency cases, the X-ray chest PA view report is available within one to two days, but if it is an emergency, you can expect the test results in just a few minutes, or it can even be hours.
Disclaimer: The time may vary based on your condition and the availability of the radiologist.
How will I get the X-ray Chest PA view report?
The X-ray chest PA view test report will be available online on MFine app, or you can also collect it by visiting the center of your diagnosis in person.
How to interpret the X-ray Chest PA view report?
The X-ray chest PA view report can either be normal or abnormal. In the normal report, the size, shape, and structure of the chest appear normal and white shadow shows the presence of fluid and solid structures. On the other hand, an abnormal chest X-ray PA view report can detect pneumonia, different cancers, infection in or around the heart, and congestive heart failure.
Is there any risk involved?
Most of the time, patients are seriously concerned about the exposure to radiation from the X-ray chest PA view. Note that the amount of radiation from an X-ray chest PA view is comparatively less and even lower than what the patients are exposed to through the natural; sources of radiation available in the environment they live. It is always good to ensure protection by wearing a proper apron if your doctor requires several images. Pregnant women should be very careful because the radiation can cause harm to the fetus. Informing the doctor beforehand will help them perform the X-ray by protecting the abdomen from radiation as much as possible.
What equipment or instruments are used for X-ray Chest PA view?
An X-ray chest PA view needs the following instruments
- Equipment for X-ray diffraction
- Fluorescence analyzers
- X-ray irradiator having high voltage
- Medical X-ray unit
- Cabinet X-ray unit
- X-ray photoelectron spectrometers.
How long does the X-ray Chest PA view take?
The time duration of the X-ray chest PA view is around 15 to 20 minutes, but the technician might take a few more minutes if there are any issues with the devices used for the process. The patients need to wait at the diagnostic center after the X-ray is done because doctors might suggest additional tests within hours or even within days and months for evaluating the changes taking place in the chest wall.
How do I book the X-ray Chest PA view through MFine?
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Frequently Asked Questions about X-ray Chest PA View
What is the position of the patient undertaking the X-ray chest PA view test?
A patient stays completely erect while facing the upright image receptor with the chin raised in a way, so it remains out of the image field. They rotate their shoulders anteriorly, allowing the scapulae to shift laterally off the fields of the lung. This position can easily be achieved either by getting the patient’s hands placed on the posterior part of the hips with the elbow flexed partially or with the hands placed around the image receptor in hugging motion with the focus on lateral scapulae movement. The shoulders are strategically depressed to make the clavicles move just below lung apices.
What is the difference between Chest X-ray AP and PA view?
Erect chest PA views are taken as the gold standard in chest projection imaging. There are instances when it is almost impossible to get a completely erect PA view or even an erect AP image. The main difference between the X-ray chest PA view and X-ray chest AP view is the first one offers a posteroanterior view of the chest while the second one offers an anteroposterior view of the chest.
Are there any disadvantages of the X-ray chest PA view test?
Yes, a few disadvantages are there, like
- X-ray chest PA view might not offer the perfect visual imagery of the soft tissues such as the fat, muscle, and tendons under the skin.
- It is also not possible to detect major spine injuries through this X-ray.
- It even exposes people to radiation that can be harmful.
Who is responsible for interpreting the results of the X-ray chest PA view?
Radiologists at the diagnostic center review the X-ray chest PA, view test results, analyze it, go through the X-ray image and inform the doctor. A doctor goes through the report of the findings made by the radiologist and communicates the same to the patient. The doctor also recommends follow-up examinations for the patient’s condition if at all they are required.
How is a standard erect PA chest X-ray chest generally taken?
The X-ray chest posteroanterior view test is generally performed with an X-ray tube placed anteriorly. The tube fires protons through the patient to form the image of the chest on a detector placed just at the back of the patient.
What is the evaluation criterion for the perfect X-ray chest PA view?
The whole lung starting from the apices to the costophrenic angles, need to be demonstrated clearly. There should be no rotation on the PA chest radiograph. If there is any, it can easily be determined by testing both the sternal ends of the clavicles for symmetric appearance in relation to the spine. In the perfect PA chest X-ray,
- the trachea appears midline;
- the scapula is available outside the lung field
- there are 10 posterior ribs visible just over the diaphragm;
- there’s a sharp framework of the diaphragm and the heart;
- there’s even a kind of faint shadow of the superior thoracic vertebrae and the ribs,
- lung markings are also visible.
What is the cost of an X-ray chest PA view?
The X-ray chest PA view test cost generally depends on the location of the hospital or the diagnostic center, the availability of skilled technicians and radiologists and the different types of devices used, and many more things. The price of this X-ray is approximately Rs. 300, but this cost can vary from one location to another.
What is the difference between an X-ray chest PA view and a CT scan?
The PA chest X-ray provides doctors with a posteroanterior view of the chest and other internal structures like the lungs and the heart. On the other hand, a CT scan or computed tomography of the text works as another effective tool for diagnosing people with breathing issues.
Disclaimer: The content is uniquely informative and is meant for educational use. Kindly use the content only in consultation with an appropriate certified or registered healthcare provider.
Can PA chest X-ray help you detect heart inflammation?
Yes, PA chest X-ray can detect the inflammation of the heart muscle to some extent. But doctors will suggest some other tests to be sure.
Is PA view chest X-ray helpful in detecting pulmonary embolism? 
No, pulmonary embolism or the presence of blood clots in the lungs cannot be detected by X-ray chest PA view.
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