How to Position Patients for X-Rays

An X-ray is a common diagnostic test that utilizes an energy form called X-ray radiation that can pass through human body. As the patient is positioned on the X-ray machine, electrical current will traverse through the X-ray tube, producing an ionized radiation in a form of a light beam. As the beam passes through the body of the patient, it will produce images on film that will serve as a guide to determine an existing problem. Radiologists or surgeons view and read X-ray images through a lighted white board or can be read directly on a computer monitor.

Things You'll Need

• X-ray machine
• X-ray or examination table
• Hospital gown
• Barium

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Instructions

• 1

  Get your patient ready for a bone X-ray. Tell your patient to remove all her jewelry, put on a hospital gown, and place a lead apron over her pelvis to protect her from radiation. When she's ready, carefully let her lie on the X-ray table on her back. Pillows may be used to help the patient maintain her position. Then, place the digital recording plate under the table on the very area of the body that is to be X-rayed. Go to the activation room and, while you're there, instruct the patient to be very still and hold her breath for a few seconds while while X-ray images of her bones are taken. After the first image is captured, you can place the patient in another position and do the same procedure. When you're all done, ask the patient to wait for a few minutes until her image is confirmed to be of high quality that is good enough for radiologist to view and read.

• 2

  Instruct your patient to remove all jewelry, eyeglasses, or any metal objects for his/her chest X-ray. If your patient is female, she will need to remove her brassiere as it has some metal parts on it that may hinder the image of her X-ray. When your patient is all set, let her stand in front of the image recording plate of the machine. Ask her to place her hands on her hips and press her chest and shoulder on the image plate. You will then go the activation room and from there, instruct your patient to be very still and hold her breath for a few seconds while her X-ray image is taken. After taking the first image, you can reposition your patient by asking her to raise both her arms up, with the side of her trunk positioned in front of the image plate and do the same procedure. When you're all done, allow your patient to wait for a little while until her image is confirmed to be qualified enough for radiologist to read.

• 3

  Make sure that your patient's stomach is empty before taking an X-ray of her upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is advisable for your patient to fast before taking this type of X-ray to ensure a good quality of the image. After the patient puts on her gown and is all set, carefully position her on the exam table next to the radiographic machine. Then instruct your patient to drink a cup of liquid barium. You will then observe the passage of the liquid from her esophagus to her digestive tract through a fluoroscope (a device that produces radiographic images that can be viewed in a monitor). You can position the exam table at different angles or perhaps safely compress the patient's abdomen to help evenly distribute the barium. Once her upper gastrointestinal tract is properly coated with barium, instruct her to be very still and hold her breath for a few seconds while X-ray images of her upper GI tract is taken. You can also ask your patient to swallow some baking-soda crystals called fizzies to create gas on her stomach for a double contrast upper GI X-ray image. When you are all done, tell your patient to wait for a few minutes until her image is confirmed to be clear enough for the radiologist to read.

• 4

  Ask your patient not to eat anything before taking her lower gastrointestinal (GI) X-ray. After your patient removed all her jewelries and change to her gown, position her on the examination table and take some X-ray films to ensure that her bowel is totally empty. Then insert a small tube on her rectum and fill the inside of the colon with contrast material (a mixture of barium and water). Air may also be pumped inside to distend the colon and help produce a better quality image. After the contrast material is adequately distributed on the patient's colon, go to the activation room. From there, ask your patient to be very still and hold her breath for a few seconds as X-ray images of her lower GI tract are taken. When you're all done, tell your patient to wait for a few minutes until her image is confirmed to be good enough for the radiologist to read.

• 5

  Prepare your patient for her spine X-ray. First, ask your patient to remove all her jewelries and put on a hospital gown. Then assist your patient as she place herself on the X-ray table in a supine position (on her back). Instruct her to be very still and hold her breath for a few seconds as X-ray images of her spine are taken. You can reposition her body and arms on different angles for more images. To take a clear X-ray of your patient's neck, ask her to open her mouth wide as the images of her cervical spine are taken. When you are all done, tell your patient to wait for a while until her X-ray images are confirmed to be good enough for the radiologist to view and read.