ABSTRACT

The majority of chest x-rays (CXR) are taken in the hospital’s main radiology department, both during the day and also out of hours. On occasions, patients may be too unstable to leave a ward or clinical area, and in this situation the radiographer will come directly to the ward and take the CXR using a portable machine. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but consider requesting a portable CXR in the following circumstances: Any peri-arrest patient, Patients requiring immediate treatment, any patient with signs of acute respiratory distress, Patients with cardiovascular instability. Ultimately, the decision comes down to clinical judgement on a case-by-case basis. When requesting a portable CXR: Give a brief summary of why the patient is unable to travel to the x-ray department, most departments require a paper request to be completed, Give the radiographer a hand positioning the patient – this is appreciated!