What is a radiologist’s X-ray called?
A skelfie!
Ok, back to seriousness!
How do X-rays see inside you? Have you ever used your hands to make shadow puppets on the wall? When you put your hand up and block the light from hitting the wall, the shape is made. X-ray is the same idea. Only when we X-ray your skeleton, it creates pictures of the inside of your body. The image is made on film (or nowadays processed digitally for our perusal on a computer screen!).
X-rays are like light rays, only they can pass through more structures. You can see bones so clearly because energy is blocked by bones. X-rays use “electromagnetic waves” radiation with wavelengths ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometers. The images show the parts of your body on a spectrum of different shades of black and white because different tissues absorb different amounts of the radiation. The calcium in your bones makes them look white, while fat and other soft tissues absorb less radiation, making them look grey. Your lungs look black because air absorbs the least amount of radiation.
Amazing X-ray Facts
- X-rays were discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. He was a a German physicist. A few weeks after his initial discovery, physicians were using X-ray to detect foreign objects in bodies, some of the earliest things being gunshot wounds and bone fractures.
- X-rays were used to be able to see the double helix structure of DNA back in the 1950’s. The person who made this discovery died before receiving the Nobel Prize and advancing the understanding of the human body and its most basic constituents.
- X-rays are also used in the treatments of tuberculosis, lung diagnoses, and cancer treatments. They have been used in space to capture objects in our solar system. They have also been used to capture original art sketches and fossils.
- The “x” in X-ray stands for “unknown.” We still call them X-rays even though we know what it stands for today. It implies mystery for whatever we are capturing.
- X-rays, composed of ionizing radiation, may cause minor damage to the cells in your body and have a small risk. Large doses, however, may cause your cells to become cancerous. A very low dose X-ray, such as a cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic series taken by a chiropractor, has a tiny risk. Chiropractors take your health history into consideration when determining whether they are necessary or if you fall into a high risk category. These days, X-ray technology emits a very low amount of radiation, similar to the amount from your cell phone in a day.
Why Are X-Rays So Important to Chiropractors?
Analysis
Chiropractors will use X-rays as a way to get a better idea of a patient’s condition or injury. When a chiropractor takes X-rays, they can also look much deeper at the patient’s health history.
Taking A Deeper Look
An X-ray can give a chiropractor a sort of “X-ray vision,” if you will, to see something s/he otherwise wouldn’t with the naked eye, some of these being spinal tumors or lesions. This can be extremely important if the patient has a condition that needs to be addressed before an adjustment. For example, a person who has multiple myeloma may not be adjusted in the areas of the cancer. This cancer is well known for eating bone, often found in the spine. With a progressed case, there may be spinal segments missing and parts of the cord exposed. In this case, it would be wise not to have a set of X-rays before giving care. In other words, X-ray could ultimately protect and encourage a patient’s health while also helping to generate a better treatment outcome.
What is Commonly Detected Through X-rays?
- Bone misalignment or subluxation
- Bone-density issues
- Bone spurs
- Broken bone, separation, or dislocations
- Disc height and degeneration
- Tumors and cancers
- Narrowing joint spaces
- Scarring
- Scoliosis
When are X-rays Required?
X-rays may not be required for every patient, especially if the patient is under the age of four, but here are some factors that would warrant using X-rays and be advantageous for the chiropractor.
- Significant or new injury
- Someone over the age of 65
- Tumors or cancer suspected
- Risk for osteoporosis
- Spinal instability is suspected
- The presence of chronic pain that is not getting better with treatment
Generally, X-rays help guide the chiropractor in making more informed treatment decisions. Taking X-rays removes the guesswork and makes it better for the patient to have streamlined care based on their individual needs. If a patient is experiencing any of the things above, it is best to have tangible outcomes to provide a swift diagnosis.