This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. A chest X-ray is a common imaging test that uses small amounts of radiation to create images of the structures in your chest, including your: Lungs Heart Blood vessels Airways Bones of the chest and spine How it Works During a chest X-ray, you'll stand or sit in front of an X-ray machine. The technician will position you and may ask you to hold your breath for a few seconds while the images are taken. The X-ray machine sends radiation beams through your chest, and the images are captured on a detector. Dense structures like bones appear white on the image, while air-filled spaces like the lungs appear black. What it Shows Chest X-rays can help diagnose a wide range of conditions, including: Lung infections: Pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis Lung conditions: Lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and collapsed lung Heart problems: Heart enlargement and heart failure Injuries: Fractures of the ribs or spine Other conditions: Fluid around the lungs, air in the chest cavity, and abnormalities in the blood vessels