Chest tomogram

Alternative names:

laminagraphy; planigraphy; stratigraphy; tomogram, chest

How the test is performed:

The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an X-ray technician. You will be asked to lie on your back on the X-ray table. The X-ray tube swings over you, taking a number of pictures from different angles. You will need to remain still during the test.

How to prepare for the test:

Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. You must wear a hospital gown. You must remove all jewelry.

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:

• infant test or procedure preparation (birth to 1 year)
• toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
• preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
• schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
• adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the test will feel:

There is no discomfort.

Why the test is performed:

Tomography is used to further examine a chest lesion when other tests are inconclusive.

The tomography will show pulmonary densities (cavitation, calcification, and presence of fat in the lungs), tumors, or lesions (any breakdown of the tissue).