Skull x-ray

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Skull of an adult

X-ray

A skull x-ray is a picture of the bones surrounding the brain, including the facial bones, the nose, and the sinuses.

See also: Sinus x-ray

X-ray - head; X-ray - skull; Skull radiography; Head x-ray

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 the x-ray table or sit in a chair. Your head may be placed in a number of positions.

Inform the health care provider if you are pregnant. Remove all jewelry.

Generally, there is little or no discomfort during an x-ray. If there is a head injury, positioning the head may be uncomfortable.

This test may be performed when there has been trauma and/or injury to the skull or when symptoms indicate a disorder involving structural abnormalities may be present inside the skull (such as tumors or bleeding). The x-ray is also used to evaluate an unusually shaped child's head.

Review Date: 01/24/2007
Reviewed By: Stuart Bentley-Hibbert, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.