For the majority of the adult population, the question of how often fluorography can be done arises due to the fact that the examination involves a certain dose of radiation. The law "On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation" requires all working citizens to undergo FLG for prevention purposes, but not everyone wants to be exposed to radiation while in full health.

At the same time, people with chronic lung pathologies are forced to control the disease, but they are afraid that they undergo fluorography too often. Therefore, it is necessary to know some aspects of this procedure, its necessity, and the effect on the body.

Fluorography as an X-ray examination

During the passage of FLH, X-rays in the amount of 0.05 millisieverts are transmitted through the human body. This is a negligible dose with an acceptable radiation dose that can help save health. With the help of a fluorographic examination of the chest, medical specialists diagnose:

• severe infectious lung disease (tuberculosis);
• inflammation of the lung tissue (pneumonia);
• lungs' cancer;
• inflammation of the pleural sheets of the lungs (pleurisy);
• pathology of the cardiovascular system.

Based on the pictures taken, the doctor prescribes treatment. Timely started therapy sometimes saves a person's life, and when diagnosed with tuberculosis, it allows you to protect other people from infection by isolating the patient.

The advantages of the procedure include its low cost, and in many district polyclinics it is done free of charge. In addition, the data is stored on digital media for a long time, and a small amount of time is needed. The study lasts three minutes, and the decoding of the indicators is made no more than 24 hours. Sometimes, it is very important to know after how long the result will be ready. The advantages also include the absence of painful sensations, high accuracy of indicators, and the absence of the need for preliminary preparation of the patient.

Photo of fluorography of a healthy person - drawing of the lungs within normal limits

Examination frequency

According to the law of the Russian Federation, the working population needs to undergo fluorography once a year. Based on the results of the examination, a certificate is issued, which is required for employment, upon admission to study, before inpatient treatment, and from conscripts. Lung fluorography results are valid for 12 months. Therefore, if there are no special indications for examination, you do not need to undergo the procedure often.

For a healthy person, once a year is enough. In order to avoid untimely receipt of a portion of X-rays, it is important to know exactly the expiration date of FLG. Another question about how often fluorography can be done arises if a person goes to the doctor with complaints of poor health or had contact with a patient with tuberculosis. In this case, the pictures are taken more often, which helps to identify the disease.

There is a separate category of citizens who are required to undergo a fluorogram in a more intensive time mode. This is a justified preventive measure, since the likelihood of infection or acquiring lung diseases in this group of people is higher.

These include:

• maternity hospital medical staff. Newborn children and pregnant women need increased protection;
• physicians working with TB patients. The risk of infection in this category is higher;
• working personnel of mining enterprises. This industry has a large percentage of lung cancers;
• workers in hazardous industries (asbestos, rubber) and steelworkers, who are also more likely to suffer from lung cancer.

For these people, there are different rules about how many times a year fluorography can be done.

When is research not allowed?

FLH is not used to diagnose women during the period of bearing a child. Why is it so important? Because X-rays can cause the development of pathologies in the unborn baby. This procedure is not recommended for lactation. If absolutely necessary, at least 6 hours should elapse between the moment of irradiation and feeding. Milk should be expressed during this period. You can not do the procedure for patients in serious condition. If there is no way to postpone the process, it is better to use an MRI.

Children under 14 years of age are not exposed to radiation, since they receive a large dose of radiation due to a more intense metabolism, only under the condition of absolute indications

Other cases:

• fluorogram was done more than 2 times a year. It is recommended to replace the X-ray dose with magnetic resonance imaging.
• there are chronic diseases of the respiratory system. In the acute period of bronchial asthma and respiratory failure, it is necessary to wait for the period of remission, since it is difficult for a person to hold his breath, which will significantly complicate the examination.

Annual X-ray control is not only the prevention of diseases at home. In cases where a person has undergone the procedure, and the diagnosis of a lung infection has been confirmed, there is a chance to save loved ones if they have not done FLH yet.

Fluorography is one of the most common medical methods for diagnosing chest diseases. Despite the radiation exposure, the dosage during the study is minimized and does not pose a particular threat to life. The dose of radiation that we receive from the Sun per year is 50-60 times higher than the indicators of one preventive procedure. Fluorography allows you to identify many diseases of the chest and undergo treatment in a timely manner.

What is fluorography?

The advantage of this examination is that it allows you to identify the disease in the early stages of its development. FLH of the lungs is carried out not only when pneumonia is detected. Fluorography can show the disorder of other internal organs. During the study, the doctor often notices problems with the musculoskeletal or cardiovascular system, breast disease, changes in the digestive tract, swollen lymph nodes, and much more.

After diagnosing the presence of dark spots in the picture, the doctor determines the possible foci of the disease and prescribes the necessary treatment. Blackouts do not always indicate any pathology - they may be the result of diseases that the patient has suffered earlier.

The principle of any fluorographic study is ionizing radiation. Its dose during examination is only 0.04 m3v. This is how much we get in ordinary life for two weeks.

How often can fluorography be done?

By law, a working person is required to undergo an X-ray examination every year. There are certain categories of professions that need to undergo fluorography more often:

Like any other procedure, fluorography has its own contraindications:

• pregnant and lactating mothers are allowed to see her if absolutely necessary;
• the procedure is intended only for adults, adolescents under the age of fourteen are prohibited by law from being examined (the procedure is considered harmful to a child);
• patients in serious condition (oncology, bronchial asthma, diabetes or other diseases at a late stage) are not allowed.

There are two types of fluorography: film and digital. Fluorography of different parts of the body is characterized by different doses of radiation.

X-ray and fluorographic diagnostics are not the same thing. The principle of action is ionizing radiation, but the dose is different. On X-ray it is below 0.3 mSv, with FLG 0.5 mSv. X-ray more clearly displays the structure of the examined part of the body.

Despite the fact that the opinions of researchers about the dangers of ionized radiation at the moment are very different, the procedure itself is not dangerous for humans. The annual recommended rate for radiation exposure is 1 mSv. On average, with chest fluorography, a person receives 0.05 mSv. Compared to the permissible dose, this number is 20 times less. Therefore, the opinion that conducting an examination once a year will lead to the formation of cancer cells is erroneous. Fluorography is a useful procedure without harm to health.

How often can fluorography of the lungs be done? There is no doubt that this procedure is not harmless: it uses X-rays - and today no one needs to explain exactly how it affects the human body. But everyone also knows that there are "dangerous" and "safe" doses of radiation. Irradiation of five X-rays, your metabolism is able to remove on average in ten to twelve months - during a fluorography you get three. Accordingly, the procedure performed once a year will definitely not kill you. And it will not even harm health, if there are no contraindications to it:

• Age - up to 15 years;
• Pregnancy and lactation;
• Oncological and other diseases, including respiratory diseases: in this case, the doctor determines the admission or non-admission to fluorography.

Also, by the decision of the attending physician, fluorography can be performed more than once a year: if you suspect tuberculosis, for example. If this is a compulsory measure, and the risk of exposure to the patient's health is not as great as the risk of failure to timely diagnose, less has to be sacrificed.

Is fluorography harmful? Yes, definitely. But it is no more dangerous than: both here and there, it is only important to observe the dose. However, a solarium is something you can do without, while regular medical examinations using "terribly harmful" X-rays help to identify various diseases in the early stages, when they do not yet give tangible symptoms. "Harmful" fluorography ultimately helps to maintain health.

How many times a year can fluorography of the lungs be done? Best of all - once, but if urgently needed - two.

Can radiography be done instead of fluorography? X-ray (Paveletskaya) is a safer method of examination, and in most cases it is he who is preferable. The amount of radiation is so small that X-rays are taken without fear even at intervals of several days or weeks (for example, when it is necessary to observe the healing of a fracture).

How can you minimize harm from the received radiation? After undergoing fluorography, it is not at all superfluous to take activated charcoal: crush three or four tablets, add water and drink. If desired, repeat after a couple of hours. This method is known to everyone who in one way or another has contact with radiation. In particular, it is used by medical radiologists and nuclear power plant employees - and you can be sure that they absorb much higher doses of radiation than you do when undergoing fluorography. Another thing that removes radiation from the body is fiber-rich foods: oatmeal, bran, rice, nuts. And also honey and vegetable oil, dairy products, grapes and dry red wine in small quantities. NOT vodka, NOT beer: alcohol by itself does not contribute to the elimination of radiation in any way - the whole secret is in the grapes.

When applying for a job or traveling abroad, a medical examination is required. One of the prerequisites for this is a snapshot of the lungs. Can fluorography be performed for colds?

Screening fluorography

If a physical examination is necessary in the autumn-winter period, a mild cold or acute respiratory viral infection, a cough in the patient is quite likely. Could this affect the quality of the survey?

The main task of fluorography (FG, or FLG) is to identify tuberculous or tumor lesions of the lungs. That is why it belongs to the screening research methods.

A lung scan should be performed annually, for all persons, except for pregnant women and children under 14 years of age. In conditions of low incidence of tuberculosis, fluorography is valid for two years.

If the risk of infectious or neoplastic lesions of the respiratory system is high, fluorography is recommended every 6 months. Can fluorography be done for colds?

With ARVI, a minor cough, there will be no changes in the picture, and it can be safely performed during this period. Unlike the blood system, the respiratory system does not react so sharply to the inflammatory process that it can be seen in the picture.

If you take a picture with a more serious pathology - for example, severe bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the acute stage, fluorography will most likely show an increase in the pulmonary pattern. This will be the reason for further examination.

If the disease proceeds with obstruction (spasm of the bronchi), this can lead to the accumulation of phlegm in certain areas. Sometimes this process is mistaken for pneumonia.

In these situations, it is better to postpone the usual preventive medical examination until complete recovery.

Diagnostic fluorography

However, fluorography can be prescribed for colds accompanied by cough and for diagnostic purposes - for example, if pneumonia is suspected.

This method is highly informative and practically does not differ from conventional radiography. The radiation exposure during FG is low and is not capable of harming the patient.

With pneumonia, the image will determine the foci of darkening - the places of infiltration of the lung tissue with an inflammatory fluid. This is decisive in establishing a diagnosis.

With bronchitis, there will be no characteristic changes. Severe inflammation can lead to an increase in the pulmonary pattern, but this X-ray finding is not pathognomonic specifically for bronchitis. It also occurs in other pathologies:

• Bronchial asthma.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Occupational pathology (workers in mines, factories, factories).
• In chronic smokers.

Sometimes fluorography for a common cold helps to identify tuberculosis, which often proceeds under the mask of bronchitis with a constant dry or wet cough. In the elderly, an increase in the incidence of lung cancer has been observed in recent years.

In general terms, everyone probably knows what fluorography is. This diagnostic method, which makes it possible to obtain an image of organs and tissues, was developed at the end of the 20th century, a year after they were discovered. cavities of gases and infiltration, abscesses, cysts and so on. What is fluorography? What is the procedure? How often and at what age can it be done? Are there any contraindications for diagnostics? Read about this in the article.

Features of the application of the technique

Most often, chest fluorography is performed to detect tuberculosis, a malignant tumor in the lungs or chest, and other pathologies. The technique is also used for bones. It is imperative to carry out such a diagnosis if the patient complains of persistent cough, shortness of breath, lethargy.

As a rule, children learn about what fluorography is only at the age of fifteen. It is from this age that, for preventive purposes, it is allowed to conduct an examination. For younger children, X-ray or ultrasound is used (if there is such a need), and only in the most extreme cases is fluorography prescribed.

How often are diagnostics allowed?

This question worries many. In order to prevent tuberculosis, it is necessary to be examined at least once every two years. People with special indications should use this diagnostic method more often. For example, for those who have cases of tuberculosis in their family or work collective, fluorography is prescribed every six months. Employees of maternity hospitals, tuberculosis hospitals, dispensaries, sanatoriums are examined with the same frequency. Also, every six months, diagnostics are carried out for people with severe pathologies of the chronic course, such as diabetes, bronchial asthma, stomach ulcers, HIV, and so on, as well as for those who have served time in prison. For conscripts in the army and persons diagnosed with tuberculosis, fluorography is done regardless of how much time has passed since the previous examination.

Contraindications

This type of diagnosis, as mentioned above, does not apply to children under fifteen years of age. Also, fluorography is not done during pregnancy, except in cases.But even if there are special indications, the examination can only be carried out when the gestational age exceeds 25 weeks. At this time, all the systems of the fetus are already laid, and the procedure will not harm him. Exposure to radiation at an earlier stage is fraught with disorders and mutations, since during this period the cells of the fetus are actively dividing.

At the same time, some doctors believe that in the conditions of modern technology, fluorography is not so dangerous for pregnant women. No harm is done to the fetus, since the dose of radiation is extremely small. The devices have built-in lead boxes that protect all organs located above and below the level of the chest. And yet it is worth refusing to carry out the procedure while carrying a child. But nursing mothers have nothing to worry about. The diagnostic method does not affect the quality of breast milk in any way, therefore, the examination is completely safe for them. However, of course, fluorography should be done during the lactation period only if there are good reasons for that.

Carrying out the procedure

No preparation required. The patient enters the office, undresses to the waist and gets into the apparatus booth, which looks a bit like an elevator. The specialist fixes the person in the required position, presses his chest against the screen and asks him to hold his breath for a few seconds. One click on the button and you're done! The procedure is extremely simple, it is not so easy to do anything, especially since all your actions are controlled by medical personnel.

Survey results

If the density of tissues in the examined organs is changed, this will be noticeable in the resulting image. Often, through fluorography, the appearance of connective fibers in the lungs is revealed. They can be located in different areas of the organs and have a different appearance. Depending on this, the fibers are classified into scars, cords, fibrosis, adhesions, sclerosis, radiance. Cancer tumors, abscesses, calcifications, cysts, emphysematous phenomena, infiltrates are also clearly visible on the images. However, the disease cannot always be detected using this diagnostic method. For example, pneumonia will be noticeable only when it acquires a fairly developed form.

A fluorography snapshot does not appear instantly, it takes some time, so the examination results can be obtained only in a day. If no pathologies are found, the patient is given a stamped certificate confirming this. Otherwise, a number of additional diagnostic measures are prescribed.

X-ray or fluorography

The technique we are considering was invented as a more mobile and cheaper analogue of X-rays. The film used for photographs is quite expensive, and much less is required to perform fluorography, as a result, the examination becomes more than ten times cheaper. For development, special devices or baths are needed, and each image needs individual processing. And fluorography allows you to develop the film directly in rolls. But the irradiation with this method is twice as large, because the roll film is less sensitive. are used in both cases, and even the apparatus through which the examination is carried out have a similar appearance.

And what is more informative for a doctor: X-ray or fluorography? The answer is unequivocal - x-rays. With this diagnostic method, the image of the organ itself is scanned, and with fluorography, the shadow reflected from the fluorescent screen is removed, so the picture is smaller and not so clear.

Disadvantages of the method

1. Significant During a session, some devices issue a radiation load of 0.8 m3v, while with an X-ray, the patient receives only 0.26 m3v.
2. Insufficient information content of pictures. Practicing radiographers report that approximately 15% of images are rejected after roll film processing.

These problems can be solved by introducing a new methodology. Let's tell you more about it.

Digital technology

Nowadays, film technology is still used everywhere, but an advanced method has already been developed and is being applied in some places, which has a number of advantages. Digital fluorography allows you to get the most accurate images, and at the same time the patient is exposed to less radiation. Among the advantages, one can also include the ability to transfer and store information on digital media, the absence of expensive materials, the ability of devices to "serve" a larger number of patients per unit of time.

Digital fluorography is more effective than film (according to some data) by about 15%, at the same time, during the procedure, the radiological load increases five times less than when using the film version. Due to this, diagnostics using digital fluorograms is allowed even for children. Today, there are already devices equipped with a silicon linear detector, which produce an amount of radiation comparable to what we receive in one day in ordinary life.

Does fluorography carry real harm?

The body is actually exposed to radiation during the procedure. But is it strong enough to negatively affect health? In fact, fluorography is not so dangerous. Its harm is greatly exaggerated. The device produces a dose of radiation that has been clearly verified by scientists, which is incapable of causing any serious disturbances in the body. Few people know, but, for example, during a flight in an airplane, we receive a much higher radiation dose. And the longer the flight, the higher the air corridor, respectively, the more harmful radiation penetrates into the body of passengers. What can I say, because even watching TV is associated with radiation exposure. Not to mention the computers that our children spend so much time at. Think about it!

Finally

From the article you learned about what fluorography is, as well as about all the intricacies of the procedure. Do it or not, decide for yourself. By law, no one can force you to undergo an examination without good reason. On the other hand, it never hurts to make sure you're healthy. The choice is yours!