Preparing for an X-ray

You don't usually need to do anything special to prepare for an X-ray. You can eat and drink as normal beforehand and can continue taking your usual medications.

However, you may need to stop taking certain medications and avoid eating and drinking for a few hours if you're having an X-ray that uses a contrast agent (see contrast X-rays below).

For all X-rays, you should let the hospital know if you're pregnant. X-raysaren't usually recommended for pregnant women unless it's an emergency (for more information,see Can I have an X-ray if I'm pregnant? ).

It's a good idea to wear loose comfortable clothes, as you may be able to wear these during the X-ray. Try to avoid wearing jewellery and clothes containing metal (such as zips), as these will need to be removed.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018