Arthritis: X-Rays

An X-ray uses a very small amount of radiation to produce an image of the bones and tissues surrounding a joint. X-rays are used in arthritis treatment for comparison.

In evaluating arthritis, your doctor uses X-ray to:

• Rule out injury or other diseases of the joint.
• Have a baseline film for comparison while being treated for arthritis.
• Look at the structures of a particular joint(s).

How Should I Prepare for the Test?

No special preparation is necessary, but you should tell the technician if you could be pregnant. The risks of radiation exposure to the fetus are small but should be minimized if possible.

You will need to remove all jewelry before the test. You may need to remove some clothing depending on the part of the body being X-rayed. You'll be given something to cover yourself.

What Happens During the Test?

The X-ray is performed in a radiology department.

The X-ray machine will send a beam of ionizing radiation through an X-ray tube. This energy passes through the part of the body being X-rayed and is then absorbed on film or a digital camera to create a picture. Bones and other dense areas show up as lighter shades of gray, while areas that don't absorb the radiation appear as dark gray.

The entire test takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

You will feel no discomfort from the X-ray test.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases.