| | X-Ray
About Us
The Student Health Service (SHS) Radiology Department has moved from traditional analog or film based radiography to computed radiography. All diagnostic x-rays will be acquired digitally and the computed radiography (CR) system will produce a digital x-ray image. The SHS Radiology Department provides a variety of skeletal x-ray examinations:
- Upper and lower extremity, (hands, feet, toes, etc.)
- Chest and Ribs
- Abdomen
- Skull and Facial Bones
- Spine
A prescription or provider order form must accompany all requested x-rays with the following information on the order:
- X-ray examination requested
- Diagnostic reason for the x-ray
- Previous history
- Ordering provider name
- Patient name
- Patient date of birth
Regarding Abdominal X-rays on Female Patients
It is the policy of the Ohio University Student health Service to avoid x-ray examination of the pelvis or abdomen of a potentially pregnant woman. If the date of the x-ray exam fall on day 11 or greater of the menstrual cycle, and the provider and patient decide for medical reasons that x-rays of the lumbar spine, sacrum, coccyx, abdomen, pelvis, or hip are necessary, the patient will be required to have a pregnancy test performed.
Location & Hours
The X-ray department is located in Hudson Health Center, Room 103. The department operates from 8 am - 12 pm, and 1 pm - 5 pm, Mon., Tues, Wed., and Fri. Thursday hours are from 9 am - 12 pm and 1 pm - 5 pm.
Does the X-ray Department accept orders from outside physicians?
We can accept orders from any licensed medical provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) in the United States. Your provider may write you an order and give it to you, or the order can be faxed to 740-593-0179. Please provide information that will allow us to provide a final report to the ordering physician. Orders from outside physicians are valid for one year after they are written.
Procedure for a student wishing to use an order from an outside physician:
Bring the order to the Student Health Service, or have the order faxed to 740-593-0179 (Attention: Radiology).
- Check in at the registration desk on the first floor of Hudson.
- The first floor staff will collect all pertinent information and make a copy of the order for your chart.
- The first floor staff will send you to the Radiology Department (Room 103) with a copy of your order.
- Present this order to a radiology staff member.
- Radiology must keep this order as a part of their records.
- Radiology staff will fax the results of your x-rays to the requesting physician. If the contact information for the requesting physician is not on the order the student should obtain it before coming to the radiology department.
How do I pay for my x-ray procedures?
The charge is placed on your student account and payment can be made in person at the Bursar's office in Chubb Hall or by accessing your online account.
Can I use an insurance card for Student Health Service x-rays?
We are not able to bill your private insurance. Instead, we will give you an itemized bill to send to your insurance company for repayment according to their schedule. The charge is placed on your student account and payment can be made in person at the Bursar's office in Chubb Hall or by accessing your online account.
Can I get a receipt for my x-ray examinations?
The student can get an itemized statement of charges from the radiology department after your x-ray is complete. This statement of charges will include the information necessary to bill your insurance company. If you do not take care of your own insurance, please send this form to your parent or guardian. Should you misplace your x-ray invoice, you can get a copy through the Business Office, Hudson Health Center 111.
What should I expect if my doctor has ordered an x-ray?
An x-ray examination uses electromagnetic radiation to make images of your bones, teeth and internal organs. Simply put, an x-ray allows your doctor to take pictures of the inside of your body. One of the oldest forms of medical imaging, x-ray is a painless medical test that can help your doctor in diagnosis and treatment - even in emergency situations. It's a fast, easy and safe way for your doctor to view and assess conditions ranging from broken bones to pneumonia to cancer. Many different types of x-rays, such as bone or chest x-rays, exist. The type your doctor uses depends on what part of your body is being examined and for what purpose.
X-rays are safe and effective for people of all ages. X-rays are particularly useful for examining the chest, bones, joints and abdomen. Your doctor may recommend an x-ray for many different reasons. For example, an
X-ray exam may be used to:
- Determine whether a bone is chipped, dislocated or broken (fractured)
- Evaluate joint injuries and bone infections
- Diagnose and monitor the progression of degenerative conditions, such as arthritis and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis
- Screen for lung and heart diseases
- Find and treat artery blockages
- Diagnose the cause of persistent coughing or chest pain
- Check for broken ribs or a punctured lung
- Evaluate abdominal pain
- Locate objects that may have been accidentally swallowed by a child
- Determine whether you have injured a bone or disk in your spine
- Detect scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, and other spinal defects
- Evaluate infection of the sinuses (sinusitis)
What is a bone x-ray (radiography)?
An x-ray (radiograph) is a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. Radiography involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body. X-rays are the oldest and most frequently used form of medical imaging. A bone x-ray makes images of any bone in the body, including the hand, wrist, arm, foot, ankle, knee, leg or spine.
How should I prepare for the procedure?
Most bone x-rays require no special preparation. You may be asked to remove some or all of your clothes and to wear a gown during the exam. You may also be asked to remove jewelry, eye glasses and any metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the x-ray images.
Women should always inform their physician or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. Many imaging tests are not performed during pregnancy because radiation can be harmful to the fetus. If an x-ray is necessary, precautions will be taken to minimize radiation exposure to the baby.
What does the x-ray equipment look like?
The equipment typically used for bone x-rays consists of an x-ray tube suspended over a table on which the patient lies. A drawer under the table holds the x-ray film or image recording plate (for computed radiography). A portable x-ray machine is a compact apparatus that can be taken to the patient in a hospital bed or the emergency room. The x-ray tube is connected to a flexible arm that is extended over the patient while an x-ray film holder or image recording plate is placed underneath.
How does the procedure work?
X-rays are a form of radiation, like light or radio waves that can be focused into a beam. X-rays pass through most objects, including the body. Once it is carefully aimed at the part of the body being examined, an x-ray machine produces a small burst of radiation that passes through the body, recording an image on photographic film or a special image recording plate.
Different parts of the body absorb the x-rays in varying degrees. Dense bone absorbs much of the radiation while soft tissue, such as muscle, fat and organs, allow more of the x-rays to pass through them. As a result, bones appear white on the x-ray, soft tissue shows up in shades of gray and air appears black.
X-ray images are maintained as hard film copy (much like a photographic negative) or, more likely, as a digital image that is stored electronically. These stored images are easily accessible and are sometimes compared to current x-ray images for diagnosis and disease management.
How is the procedure performed?
The technologist, an individual specially trained to perform radiology examinations, positions the patient on the x-ray table and places the x-ray film holder or digital recording plate under the table in the area of the body being imaged. When necessary, sandbags or pillows will be used to help the patient hold the proper position. A lead apron may be placed over the patient's pelvic area to protect it from radiation.
The patient must hold very still and may be asked to keep from breathing for a few seconds while the x-ray picture is taken to reduce the possibility of a blurred image. The technologist will walk behind a wall or into the next room to activate the x-ray machine.
The patient may be repositioned for another view and the process is repeated. At least two images (from different angles) will be taken and often three images are needed if the problem is around a joint (knee, elbow or wrist).
When the examination is complete, the patient will be asked to wait until the technologist determines that the images are of high enough quality for the radiologist to read. A bone x-ray examination is usually completed within 5 to 10 minutes.
What will I experience during and after the x-ray procedure?
A bone x-ray examination itself is a painless procedure. You may experience discomfort from the cool temperature in the examination room. You may also find holding still in a particular position and lying on the hard examination table uncomfortable, especially if you are injured. The technologist will assist you in finding the most comfortable position possible that still ensures x-ray image quality.
Who interprets the results and how do I get them?
A radiologist, a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology examinations, will analyze the images and send a signed report to your primary care or referring physician, who will share the results with you.
What are the benefits vs. risks?
Benefits
- Bone x-rays are the fastest and easiest way for a physician to view and assess broken bones and joint and spine injuries.
- X-ray equipment is widely available in physician offices, making it convenient for both patients and physicians.
- Because x-ray imaging is fast and easy, it is particularly useful in emergency diagnosis and treatment.
- No radiation remains in a patient's body after an x-ray examination.
- X-rays usually have no side effects.
Risks
- There is always a slight chance of damage to cells or tissue from radiation. However, the radiation risk is very low compared with the potential benefits.
- During a single x-ray exposure, a patient is exposed to approximately 20 milliroentgens of radiation. We are all exposed to approximately 100 milliroentgens of radiation each year from sources like the ultraviolet rays of the sun and small traces of radioactive isotopes, such as uranium, in the soil.
- Women should always inform their physician or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.
What are the limitations of Bone X-ray?
While x-ray images are among the clearest, most detailed views of bone, they provide little information about the adjacent soft tissues. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) may be more useful in identifying ligament tears and joint effusions in knee or shoulder injuries and in imaging the spine, because both the bones and the spinal cord can be evaluated. MRIs can also detect a bone bruise when no crack is visible on x-ray images. Ultrasound imaging, which uses sound waves instead of ionizing radiation, has also been useful for injuries around joints and in evaluating the hips of children with congenital problems.
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