Even though far more sophisticated imaging techniques have been developed, the basic chest X-ray can occasionally be a useful tool to assess your cardiovascular system. The X-ray technique works by pass- ing a small, relatively safe amount of radiation through your body and onto a piece of ?lm. The chest X-ray gives your doctor an image of your heart and lungs that reveals the size and shape of your heart, the pres- ence of calcium deposits within your heart, and the presence of congestion in your lungs. If your heart is enlarged, the shape of the enlargement may offer clues to the cause. For example, a narrowed

heart valve causes a different shape than the enlargement due to conges- tive heart failure.
Calcium, which shows clearly on an X-ray, sometimes builds up in diseased or injured tissue. In the heart, calcium deposits may accumu- late on a valve, an artery, or the heart muscle itself. The presence of these deposits will direct further testing.
X-rays also make a picture of your lungs and help your doctor deter- mine whether your symptoms are caused by heart disease or lung dis- ease. The presence of ?uid in lung tissue (a sign called pulmonary edema) means that a weakened heart may have caused ?uid to back up, thereby congesting the lungs (congestive heart failure).
Having an X-ray done is easy and painless. You will be asked to remove your clothes above your waist and to take off any jewelry that might interfere with the image. You will stand against the X-ray machine, hold your arms out, and hold your breath while the X-ray is being taken (to make your heart and lungs show up more clearly, and to help you hold still).