US Medical Term · tests
X-Ray
Radiografía
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | X-Ray |
| Spanish (Español) | Radiografía |
| Chinese (中文) | X光 |
| Korean (한국어) | 엑스레이 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Chụp X-quang |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | X-ray |
| Portuguese (Português) | Raio-X |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เอกซเรย์ |
| Japanese (日本語) | X線撮影 |
What it means
An X-ray is a quick imaging test that uses a small dose of radiation to take pictures of structures inside your body, especially bones and lungs. You will stand, sit, or lie still while a machine sends radiation through your body onto a detector plate. The test takes only a few minutes and is painless. Dense structures like bone appear white; soft tissue appears gray; air-filled areas like lungs appear dark. Your doctor may use X-rays to look for broken bones, pneumonia, or other abnormalities. You may be asked to wear a lead apron to protect other body parts from radiation exposure.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I need to schedule an X-ray — do I need to prepare anything beforehand?
Necesito programar una radiografía — ¿debo prepararme de alguna manera antes?
How long does it take to get the results of my X-ray?
¿Cuánto tiempo tarda en llegar el resultado de mi radiografía?
Will the radiation from the X-ray be harmful?
¿La radiación de la radiografía me puede hacer daño?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026