Chest x-ray

I had a chest x-ray done on me once. I had to remove everything above the waist up, but I'm a guy. I was thinking to myself what fun the X-ray tech would have if a hot girl came in. I was wondering if any of the ladies here have had a chest x-ray done on them or something similar?

When i had an xray they did it through some light material that was on my pelvis when i thought i had broken it thank god it was just badly bruised""!!

I was exposed to TB when I was 2 years old and need a chest X-ray every year. i have to remove my shirt (VA.)

I've had a few chest x-rays before. When I was younger, under the age of 10 or so, I was topless or sometimes completely nude for x-rays. Once I hit puberty and started to grow breasts, they always had me take off my shirt and cover myself with a gown or thin sheet.

Now, a chest ultrasound is a different story...

I have had plenty of chest x-rays too in the past and since I am a guy, I never had a gown. But I always wondered if they make females go topless or they provide them with a gown.

Always topless here for some reason.

When I have had a chest xray, they have always had me nude from the waist up.

To check my lungs I had to take off my shirt for the xray.

I once had a bruised shoulder and the x-rayed me topless, too. Here in Germany, they don't make any fuss of it, they don't even have gowns here, I believe. When I still lived in the US it was different, though.

When I've had a chest x-ray I have always had to remove my shirt and bra and put on a gown. One time I had an x-ray on my shoulder and arm and I again had to remove everything waist up.

I always have to remove my shirt for a chest x-ray. The only exception was when I was in the hospital and was only wearing a gown. No underwear because of the catheter I had in me.

I would imagine that the technicians got a full view when I stood with my chest to the machine with the gown open in the back. When I turned to the side and raised my arms as high as I could reach, it felt like I was standing there with nothing on because of how high the gown lifted and the fact that it fell forward and away from my front a bit.

I don't really care, but I do kind of wonder sometimes what the male and female techs think when this happens. Probably happens enough that they don't care either.

It depends on the clinic/hospital's policies.

The techs think nothing of it. They put on their "professional blinders" 😎

Oddly though, I've noticed at the VA hospital where I get my care, most of the techs are women.

For the record, when I have a chest x-ray done, I'm shirtless but am given a small lead apron that hangs from the waist to mid thigh to wear.

Removing shirt seems normal for x ray guys.

I've had 3 in the last few years. 2 stripped to the waist and one wearing my shirt (x-ray tech just checked wasn't wearing a necklace).

Certainly you do not need to be naked te have a chest x-ray. However, any clothes with metal parts (bra wires, buttons etc) will disturb the image. Most of patients simply do not realize that metal or solid parts are present within their clothing. All potential foreign objects such as necklaces, body piercings, bra, sequins, and some fashion printed shirts that can cause an artifact should be removed. X-ray is associated with an exposure (small, but significant when repeated frequently ie. CT scans) for potentially harmful radiation. Thus, the technician must assure that the patient is prepared properly. Though a T-shirt or hospital gown is allowed, most of patients are naked from the waist up. Another issue is patient's positioning. The PA chest x-ray is taken with the patient erect, on full inspiration, patient's chin extended out of the lung fields, the scapula rotated out of the field, and if the patient has large breast, it should be moved upward and out away from the lungs. For the lateral chest x-ray the patient should stand with with his/her arms raised vertically so that the humeri do not superimpose the anterior chest. In summary, the technician MUST have the patient undressed to assure that jewellery and body piercings have been removed. Moreover, any patient in reproductive age should be provided with a lead apron protecting genitals.

As I have to perform chest x-ray every two yeras to submit for the job exam, I have my own experience. The room is always cool and dim. I have to undress from the waist up and the technician inspects my body including underarms. The she puts a heave apron on my waist. Then I am positioned, the technician leaves and image performed.

I'm not an x-ray tech, but nude from the waist up is the preferred method, and is almost universally done that way on men. In the Navy, that was how women were done, too. In the civilian world, it may depend on the policy of the hospital/clinic. The important thing is to make sure that there is no metal (Like under wires in bras) or jewelry in the way. I know of some places that will have a woman strip to the waist and then give them a gown.

The main issue with men is wearing the lead apron to protect the genitals from radiation, as it can lead to sterility. Which leads me to another, related question. Do women have to wear the lead apron?

I have had chest x rays performed on my work physical and on a military physical. All the males and females in my unit had x rays performed the same way (everyone having the x ray was undressed to the waist). My wife has to have a chest x ray every year she says it is quite cold in the room and when you stand against the machine

The last chest x ray I had was six months ago. First the Tec asked if a student could be present and I told him no problem. Then he asked me to strip to the waist but did ask if I needed a gown. I laughed and told him no. His only reply was good.

Things were slow so he allowed the student to position me and he provided corrections as necessary. I may have been the first patient the girl had worked with, she was very nervous. I told her to relax that I had all the time she would need.

When done they both thanked me. We all have to learn sometime and I was in no hurry.

I remember having my last chest x-ray 2 years back. I was in T-shirt and shorts - I was never asked to remove anything at all. Don't know why. The lady RN did cover me with a heavy lead apron from waist down while I was getting x-rayed. This is in Kaiser California, for those who want to know. And yes, the room did feel cold and quite dark.

A few months ago, I got a c-spine and shoulder x-ray. They had me take my tee shirt off and wear a lead apron. I guess the shirt was to make sure they hit the anatomic landmarks.

I was wondering when a lady has to have a chest xray and you have to take your shirt and bra off. Do you put the gown on open in the front or the back and do you have to raise your arms to make sure they are out of the way during the xray. Or do you put something on that is more like a vest?

I manage to contract bronchitis as the end result of a cold. The virus always settles in my chest for a serious battle of trench warfare. I cough, I feel a little short of breath and cannot exercise in my normal capacity.(I cannot exercise at all, actually) After getting a cold stethoscope to my chest and back I am then sent for a chest x ray. I am always ordered to remove my shirt, undershirt and crucifix.

I've had several chest x-rays and yes everything from the waist up comes off and the tech gives me a gown to slip on

I was wondering when a lady has to have a chest xray and you have to take your shirt and bra off. Do you put the gown on open in the front or the back and do you have to raise your arms to make sure they are out of the way during the xray. Or do you put something on that is more like a vest?

The positions and techniques for female chest x-ray are identical to that for a male. The only difference is that in many instances the male is bare chested while the female is almost always offered a gown. Last time for me, I was offered a gown that I refused.

The issue is that anything that can cast an x-ray shadow must be removed. This includes clothing and jewelry. The gowns used are known not to cast a shadow.

As Limone17 alluded you do not have to be topless to have a chest x-ray performed. However as he rightfully stated any clothing that contains metal ( in the form of buttons, or in the case of bras under wire) or jewellery needs to be removed prior to the x-ray in order to to reduce any artifacts as the x-ray will not penetrate metal. Metal just shows up as a light area on the X-ray and as such blocks the underlying structures which the Doctors want to see.

A hospital gown is offered to both male and female patients, but in general most males tend not to bother with it and remain topless.

The x-ray should be taken on full inspiration and that is why the technician ask you to take a deep breath and hold your breath while the x-ray is performed. As he correctly stated positioning is important to ensure that the entire chest is seen.

Exposure to high levels of radiation can be very harmful. However, the X-rays used for medical purposes are safe because the dose of radiation is very small.

The strength of radiation in relation to long-term risk is measured using units called millisieverts (mSv). Some examples of typical exposures are:

- chest X-ray – 0.02 mSv

- a year's worth of medical tests – 0.4 mSv

-average annual exposure to natural radiation – 2.2 mSv

In the UK, 20 mSv is the maximum that someone who works with radiation is allowed to be exposed to in any given year.

When having a chest x-ray does a person wear a gown opened in the front or back, or does it really matter? I don't ever remember being offered a gown for one.

Fetfan10 its normal to have the opening on the back, although i have seen both male and female patients have the opening at the front, especially if the x-ray radiographer was not clear in their instructions to the patient.

Thank you, RN1993, the reason I ask is because my wife had a chest x ray last year I believe the tech told her to wear it open in the front. She(the tech) was training another tech (a male) maybe that's why she was told to wear it like that. The male tech was the one making sure my wife was in the right positions.

Hi Fetfan10 I expect that they were not acting professionally as there is no clinical reason to wear the gown with the opening to the front during a chest x-ray. The opening at the front would exposed parts of her breast at times while positioning for the x-ray.

Thank you RN1993 for your insight, that is what I was thinking when my wife told me this. She said the male tech did not touch her when he was positioning her for the x ray but she felt like especially when she had to raise her arms for the xray that her breast were sort of exposed.