Procedures - Radiography What is it? General Diagnostic Radiology includes evaluation of the chest, spine, skull, extremities, hips, pelvis and abdomen. General diagnostic radiology is often used to evaluate suspected fracture or other indications of injury or abnormality. The General Diagnostic Radiology section’s staff consists of board certified radiologists and state licensed radiology technologists who provide a full range of radiology procedures for general diagnostic interpretation. What Is Diagnostic Imaging? X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation like light, but of higher energy, so they can penetrate the body to form an image on film. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will appear white, air will be black, and other structures will be shades of gray. Diagnostic Imaging (a.k.a. Diagnostic Radiology) includes evaluation of the chest, spine, skull, extremities, hips, pelvis and abdomen. General diagnostic radiology is often used to evaluate suspected fracture or other indications of injury or abnormality. Chest x-rays may be used to detect pneumonia, TB and enlargement of the heart. Abdominal x-rays can reveal the size and shape of abdominal structures or the presence of fluid or air in the abdomen. Spinal x-rays may be used to evaluate scoliosis (curvature of the spine). Extremity films may indicate fracture or location of foreign bodies. Patients are asked to remove jewelry and metal objects that might obscure anatomic detail in the x-ray images. Holding one’s breath is necessary for some examinations. Most x-rays are performed in two or more views such as front (AP), back (PA) and side (lateral). Patients should expect to be placed in various positions and to hold still. Patient motion, positioning and body mass may affect the quality and usefulness of general x-rays. If test results do not correlate with clinical findings or if symptoms persist despite a negative x-ray result, examination with other imaging techniques may be recommended. top of page