An X-ray is a painless procedure that involves sending a beam of radiation through the body to get an image of the bones and certain organs. You might be asked to sit, stand or lay down in a special room with the X-ray machine. Depending on the type of image that is needed, you might be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds.

The healthcare provider will leave the room to take the scan, which should only take a few seconds, depending on the number of images that are needed,

To prepare for an X-ray, you will want to wear loose-fitting clothing and avoid any items with metal accessories, zippers, hooks or snaps. You might be asked to remove jewelry for the exam.

After an X-ray, a small amount of radiation passes through our body, which is why X-rays should be done sparingly. But the amount needed to cause long-term damage is quite high. You would need to get over 10,000 chest X-rays to reach the recommended limit.

MRIs and X-rays are different types of tests that provide images of the body’s internal structures. X-rays use radiation to produce the images but are not as detailed as the images produced by MRIs. MRIs use magnets and radio waves to produce a more detailed image, MRIs are not available at our urgent care centers, but we can refer you to one of our trusted partners if one is required.