X-Ray Lumber Spine (AP / Lat / OBL) Test

The X-Ray Lumber Spine test helps your doctor to check the bone structure of your lower back. The lumbar spine comprises five vertebral bones. The lower back of your pelvis has the sacrum, which is called the bone shield, located below the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine also has the following:

• Cartilage
• Larger blood vessels
• Ligaments
• Nerves
• Tendons

X-rays do not require much special preparations. Before taking X-ray, you need to make sure that you must not wear any ornaments or any metallic items. If you have underwent any surgeries or if you have had any metal implants in the previous surgery, then you need to inform this to your doctor. In rare cases, you might have to wear the hospital dress because to prevent the buttons or zips from your clothes that might affect the quality of the X-ray.

Your doctor may ask you take an X-ray lumbar spine to diagnose the following health conditions:

• Fractures or injuries on the lower spine bones.
• Severe lower back that lasts for more than four weeks.
• Osteoporosis, which makes your bones thin.
• Osteoarthritis, which causes arthritis in the joints.
• Bone spur
• Cancer

In most cases, the symptom is detected through the X-ray. However, your doctor may ask for imaging tests to determine the symptom. The other imaging tests are CT scan, bone scan, and MRI scan.

• X-rays are taken either in the clinic that is specialized in a specific diagnosis or in the hospital that has a radiology department.
• When you visit the clinic or the hospital, you need to lie-down on the table, facing up.
• The technician moves the camera connected to the steel arm toward your lower back.
• As the camera moves, the film inside the table captures the X-ray images of your spine.
• The technician may also ask you to lie-down to several positions to take the X-ray images, as indicated by the doctor.
• When the camera captures the images, it is recommended to hold your breath to ensure the quality.