An X-ray technician will do a bone age
X-ray in a radiology department within a hospital, a
radiology center, or a doctor's office. Your child will be required to remove all clothing and jewelry and put on a hospital gown. They may also have to remove glasses and all metal objects from their person. Your child will be asked to enter the x-ray room, which will contain a table, some chairs, and a large X-ray machine. Parents can usually accompany their children to provide support and calm them. If you choose to stay in the room, you'll be asked to wear a lead protective covering to protect your body from the radiation. The x-ray technician will ask your child to sit on a stool and place their left hand on the table with
fingers spread (your child may be given a protective lead shield as well). The x-ray technologist will step into an adjoining room to operate the machine. Your child will be asked to remain still for some seconds while the radiograph is taken. This is done to prevent blurring of the X-ray image. Your child may also be asked to breathe in and hold their breath for a few seconds to get the best x-ray image. The bone age assessment is performed with an x-ray image of your child's non-dominant hand, so it is important to mention if your child is left-handed. A single DP view of your child's arm will be taken, including the distal radius and ulna (which are the forearm’s two long bones) and all the fingers. This procedure is only a few minutes from start to finish, and there is no need to worry about radiation exposure since the radiation only lasts a short while. However, developing babies are susceptible to radiation and are at more risk. Thus, if your daughter is pregnant, make sure to tell her doctor and the X-ray technician.