X-ray Chest PA View
X-ray chest PA view gives a good assessment of the cardiac size. It is taken with the film in front of the chest and the X-ray tube behind, from a distance of 6 feet. This view avoids magnification of the heart as the film is close to the anterior chest wall. PA view is identified by the presence of the fundal gas bubble and the absence of the scapulae in the lung fields.
chest X-rays require very little preparation on the patient’s part.
You will need to remove any jewelry, eyeglasses, body piercings, or other metal on your person. Tell your doctor if you have a surgically implanted device, such as a heart valve or pacemaker. Your doctor may opt for a chest X-ray if you have metal implants
Before the X-ray, you’ll undress from the waist up and change into a hospital gown.
The images from a chest X-ray are usually developed on large sheets of film. When viewed against a lit background, your doctor can see an array of problems, from tumors to broken bones.