If your child is in pain and can't stay in the required position, the technician might be able to find another position that's more comfortable. The position required for the X-rays can feel uncomfortable, but they need to be held for only a few seconds. The X-ray room may feel cool due to air conditioning used to maintain the equipment. Your child won't feel anything as the X-rays are taken. Keeping still is important to prevent blurring of the X-ray image. Older kids will be asked to hold their breath and remain still for 2-3 seconds while each X-ray is taken infants may require gentle restraint. Sometimes doctors will request additional views.
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Two X-rays are usually taken (from the back and from the side), so the technician will return to reposition your child for each X-ray. The technician will position your child, then step behind a wall or into an adjoining room to operate the machine. Sometimes, this will depend on the condition of your child. Your child's reproductive organs will also be protected with a lead shield.Ī scoliosis X-ray is usually performed in a standing position, but may be done while the child is sitting or laying down. If you stay in the room while the X-ray is being done, you'll be asked to wear a lead apron to protect certain parts of your body. Parents are usually able to accompany their child to provide reassurance. Your child will be asked to enter a special room that will most likely contain a table and a large X-ray machine hanging from the ceiling or wall. ProcedureĪlthough the procedure may take about 15 minutes, actual exposure to radiation is usually less than a few seconds. But if the X-ray is necessary, precautions can be taken to protect the fetus. X-rays are usually avoided during pregnancy because there's a small chance the radiation may harm the developing baby. If your daughter is pregnant, it's important to tell the X-ray technician or her doctor. Your child may be asked to remove some clothing and jewelry and change into a hospital gown because buttons, zippers, clasps, or jewelry might interfere with the image. p PreparationĪ scoliosis X-ray doesn't require any special preparation. If a neurological abnormality is suspected, the doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to look at the spinal cord. The doctor might refer your child to a specialist for further evaluation. The scoliosis X-ray might be repeated at regular intervals (sometimes every 3-12 months) to check whether the curve is getting bigger or to monitor the effects of treatment.
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X-rays also help determine the type of scoliosis and how mature the child's skeleton is, which helps the doctor to predict if the scoliosis may progress. The angle of the curve, measured in degrees on the X-ray, will help the doctor decide whether it needs to be treated and, if so, how. If scoliosis is suspected, the doctor may order X-rays to measure the curvature of the spine. If a curve is severe, it can even affect breathing and heart function and lead to damage in the joints of the spine and pain during adulthood.ĭoctors routinely check kids for scoliosis during regular physical exams, and some schools also test for scoliosis. One shoulder blade may be higher than the other, or the waist may be uneven, with a tendency to lean to one side. A curved spine can cause the body to tilt to the left or right.
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Although small curves generally don't cause problems, bigger curves can be visible and cause discomfort. Why It's DoneĬhildren with scoliosis have a spine that curves from side to side, like an S or a C. Sometimes other views are taken in which the person is bending to the side. Two pictures are usually taken of the spine, one from the back (posteroanterior or PA view) and one from the side (lateral view). X-rays are performed by an X-ray technician in the radiology department of a hospital, a freestanding radiology center, or a health care provider's office. Softer body tissues, such as muscles, allow the X-ray beams to pass through them and appear darker. Dense body parts that block the passage of the X-ray beam through the body, such as bones, appear white on the X-ray image. The scoliosis X-ray includes the thoracic spine (upper back) and the lumbar spine (lower back). During the examination, an X-ray machine sends a beam of radiation through the back, and an image is recorded on a computer or special film.
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A scoliosis X-ray is a relatively safe and painless test that uses a small amount of radiation to create detailed images of the spine.