Joint x-ray

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Joint x-ray

Definition:

This test is an x-ray of a knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle, or other joint.

Alternative Names:

X-ray - joint

How the test is performed:

The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an x-ray technician. You will position the joint to be x-rayed on the table, pictures are taken, and the joint is repositioned, if necessary, for different views.

How to prepare for the test:

Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. Remove all jewelry.

How the test will feel:

The x-ray is not uncomfortable, except possibly from positioning the area being x-rayed.

Why the test is performed:

The x-ray is used to detect fractures, tumors, or degenerative conditions of the joint.

Review Date: 8/3/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Gross, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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