X-ray

Opening Hours

Nobles Hospital – General x-rays

Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 8.30am – 5pm

Walk-in service, no appointment necessary

On call x-ray service provided for emergency department & wards outside of these hours

Ramsey District & Cottage Hospital – General x-rays and Bone Densitometry

Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 9am – 5pm

Appointment Only

xray

An x-ray is a widely used test which creates an image of the inside of the body, much like a photograph. It is often the first point of investigation to help your doctor decide if other forms of imaging or tests are needed.

Once you have booked in at reception you will wait in the waiting room until called through by the radiographer. Depending on the examination you are having, you may be asked to change into a hospital gown if you are wearing clothes with metal fastenings that will obscure the x-rays such as zips or a bra.

Your examination will be undertaken by a HCPC registered radiographer who will introduce themselves to you and explain the procedure. The radiographer will place the part of your body being imaged against an x-ray detector and may ask you to move into different positions. The x-ray tube will be carefully aimed at the part of the body being examined and the radiographer will operate the machine from behind a screen. More than one x-ray may be taken from a different angle to provide as much information as possible.

You won’t feel anything while the x-ray is being taken and it lasts less than a second. While the x-ray is being taken you will need to remain as still as possible to make sure a clear image of your body part is produced.

Your results are normally with your referring clinician or GP within 5-7 working days. If you are an in-patient, the results will be given to the doctors looking after you on the ward, in most cases this will be on the same day.

Visit NHS Choices – x-ray to find out more.