Fluorography is a diagnostic study that is performed for the purpose of timely detection and treatment of lung diseases.
The procedure makes it possible to identify a potentially infectious disease at an early stage and avoid its spread among the population. Its success depends on the timely initiation of treatment for tuberculosis.
This examination uses low-power ionizing radiation called X-rays. X-rays began to be widely used in the 30s of the 20th century.
- 1 General information 1.1 What can be determined from x-rays?
- 1.2 Is passing the FLG mandatory?
When is fluorography done?
Fluorographic examination is the only type of radiographic screening that is not done according to indications. Regardless of how the patient feels, he needs to take a photo of the lungs.
If the first signs of tuberculosis appear - cough, fever, malaise, weight loss and difficulty breathing, then in case of such complaints the doctor will prescribe an early X-ray of the lungs, despite the expiration date of the fluorography in the patient.
Fluorography expires in 2021
When performing fluorography, the patient receives a document in his hands or a note in the medical record about when the study was done.
This spine is kept by the patient and, if necessary, he can provide it to medical centers. The main question for many people is how long fluorography is valid and when the next screening is required.
This aspect of the issue is regulated by Order of the Ministry of Health No. 124 of March 21, 2021, according to which it is necessary to undergo a study at least once a year. This is a standard prescription for most categories of the population.
General information
Every adult over 15 years of age must take fluorography responsibly and do it once a year. For children under 15 years of age, Mantoux tests are performed - tuberculin diagnostics.
What can be determined from x-rays?
Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious bacterial disease caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (Koch bacillus). Medicine claims that today, every third person is a carrier of Koch's bacillus, which, under certain factors, can trigger the development of the disease.
At the first stage, the carrier of the disease may not suspect anything, but he is already infectious to others.
The images show lesions in the lungs that can occur due to both tuberculosis and oncological etiology. Darkenings and changes resulting from pneumonia, fibrosis, and benign tumors are also visualized. The image can show the presence of foreign bodies and evidence of parasitic infestation.
Is passing the FLG mandatory?
Based on Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated December 6, 2012 No. 1011 “On approval of the Procedure for conducting preventive medical examinations,” fluorography is included in the list of mandatory hospital tests. According to the law, the frequency of this procedure is at least once every 2 years.
Since June 18, 2001, the law “On preventing the spread of tuberculosis in the Russian Federation” has been in force in the country.
The harm of ionizing radiation to human internal organs is significantly small, but the risk of becoming infected and missing the opportunity for timely treatment is enormous. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct the examination annually.
There are cases when a person needs to be examined more often:
- Employees of medical institutions;
- Employees of maternity hospitals and tuberculosis clinics;
- A sick person has been discovered in a family or group;
- Patients suffering from serious illnesses, bronchial asthma, diabetes, stomach ulcers, HIV.
There are also contraindications to fluorography:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- Infants and children under 15 years of age;
- Patients who, for health reasons, cannot take a vertical position.
The law does not provide for forced FLG, and every citizen has the right to refuse examination (there is an exception for incompetent citizens and people living in environmentally polluted regions.) However, this is not recommended by the Ministry of Health due to the danger of the spread of tuberculosis.
When the certificate is valid for 1 year
Some people unknowingly neglect to undergo fluorographic examination in a timely manner and delay the next shots. Why additional irradiation if fluorography is not required?
In order to attract large masses of the population to regular screening, there are restrictions that force the patient to undergo research in a timely manner.
For example, to obtain a certificate for a swimming pool, fluorography must be no older than one year. The same deadlines apply to medical examinations at educational institutions and at work - here a special service strictly monitors the expiration of the examination.
With an expired fluorography, the general doctor will not be able to refer the patient to a specialist or give an opinion for surgery. These situations create as much control as possible over fluorography among the population.
How is the procedure done?
No preparation is required in advance. The procedure takes place in the following order:
- The patient must undress to the waist and remove all jewelry from the neck. Long hair is pinned up.
- After this, the person needs to walk to the metal plate, turn his front and press his chest and shoulders.
- After the radiologist's command, you need to hold your breath for a short time.
- The procedure is over, you can go back and get dressed.
The doctor will inform you about the time frame for issuing the finished result. As a rule, the finished photograph or examination document can be received in 1-3 days.
The radiologist interprets the image. If there are small spots on the top of the lungs, this may indicate the presence of tuberculosis. Large blurry shadows characterize pneumonia. A solid dark spot indicates pleurisy.
Attention!
You cannot diagnose yourself on your own or using the Internet by looking for spots in the picture. The examination result will be deciphered only by a professional doctor!
When the certificate is valid for 6 months
In some cases, diagnosis is carried out unscheduled. For example, this is recommended for men whose wives will give birth to children in six months. No later than this period, the future father must undergo a lung examination and provide a certificate for the maternity hospital.
An X-ray of the lungs is the norm.
The same six-month principle applies to young people conscripted into the army - they must provide the military registration and enlistment office with a certificate indicating fluorography for the last six months.
The study is done twice a year and the certificate is valid only for six months for the following categories of patients:
- people with diagnosed tuberculosis;
- employees of medical institutions;
- patients with severe respiratory pathologies;
- workers in the education sector and social institutions.
Is fluorography required?
Chest examination is mandatory screening for the majority of the working age population.
For young children, the Mantoux test or Diaskintest are performed - unique alternative methods for detecting tuberculosis. The importance of conducting regular fluorographic examinations is evidenced by the fact that this provision is enshrined in legislation. There is a special law regulating the rules for undergoing screening. There are also contraindications for fluorography.
The study is not performed on women during pregnancy, children under fifteen years of age, or patients with serious illnesses, but in this case, the responsibility for refusing an x-ray lies with the doctor.
What will happen if you refuse fluorography?
Refusal to undergo the study is an extremely reckless step. Some people deliberately do this - some out of inner convictions, while others are simply too lazy to go to the clinic and stand in line. Will they be punished by law for this?
The legislation does not provide for punishment; a person will not be fined for failing to undergo a lung examination. And the same law specifies under what circumstances a certificate stub may be required.
This gives freedom to certain structures and the right to demand the spine. For example, in a kindergarten, a teacher may not be allowed to work without undergoing fluorography. To work in such an institution, a certificate is required.
Fluorography for the university
Educational institutions also fall under the category of places with large crowds of people, so universities require a certificate and examination. Upon admission and every year, students undergo a medical examination.
Fibrous-cavernous tuberculosis
If screening is refused or a counterfeit is missing, the university has the right not to admit the student as having failed the medical examination. This is a legal decision of the subject of the educational process, since the university takes responsibility for the life and health of students, including those who may become infected with tuberculosis.
How long is the certificate valid?
A certificate of completion of this examination is required in quite frequent cases. If the validity period of the fluorography certificate is exceeded, it is impossible for the patient to obtain permission for surgery, hospital treatment, or an appointment with a specialist.
Do students need help? living in hostels, for health improvement in sanatoriums.
According to the Ministry of Health? Fluorography results are valid for 2 years. However, in some cases the following requirements may apply:
- Before hospitalization for surgery, the certificate must be no more than 1 year old.
- To pass a medical examination and obtain a certificate for the pool, a period of up to 12 months is allowed.
- For the spouse of a pregnant woman, the examination should not exceed 6 months before the expected date of birth.
- Persons registering with the military registration and enlistment office, those liable for military service, must provide results no longer than 6 months.
- Representatives of professions who have a health certificate are required to undergo an annual examination and update the results of the physical examination (health workers, teachers, educators, cooks) - 1 year.
- people at risk (homeless people, displaced people, people from disadvantaged families), as well as employees of mining industry institutions, enterprises with high levels of harmful substances, including radioactive ones - 1 year.
The period is 1 year, due to the fact that the development of this disease occurs from approximately 3 to 12 months.
The role of diagnostics in the fight against tuberculosis
It is extremely important to undergo monitoring for tuberculosis, because all it takes is one Koch bacilli excretor, which can infect others.
Therefore, the spine is required at work, at school, it is taken upon discharge from the maternity hospital, i.e. they carry out disease prevention in places where there are active crowds of people.
Regular examination of the chest for the purpose of prevention is an important procedure of civil and public importance.
It is the duty of every person to observe the expiration dates of fluorography and undergo the study as soon as the expiration date of the stub expires. This helps to timely identify and treat tuberculosis of the lungs - a dangerous infectious disease that can reach epidemic proportions.
Important! When undergoing fluorography, pay attention to the X-ray machine; it must be digital, or digital scanning. In this case, fluorography is absolutely safe, in contrast to the established stereotype of the harmfulness of the film apparatus.
Digital fluorography of the lungs
Indications for fluorography
Fluorography of the lungs is necessary as a preventive measure and is carried out every 1-2 years.
The image determines signs of cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pleurisy, fibrosis, bronchitis, heart failure and many other diseases. Admission to an educational institution and employment also requires undergoing fluorography of the lungs. Fluorography can be done independently without a referral from a doctor. Some serious diseases, such as cancer and tuberculosis, may not manifest themselves for a long time. Only in the picture can they be seen before symptoms appear. Fluorography of the lungs is necessary:
- if the cough lasts more than 2 weeks;
- if other suspicious symptoms appear in the lungs;
- if there is an elevated temperature, the causes of which are unclear;
- if shortness of breath appears;
- if there is increased sweating at night;
- if you have chest pain;
- for prevention;
- to obtain a driver's license;
- for certificates for work, study, maternity hospital, etc.
Contraindications, preparation and procedure
It is advisable to undergo fluorography no more than once a year. If necessary, you can do it once every six months and in emergency situations - every 2 weeks. Fluorography is not performed on pregnant women without special indications and on bedridden patients.
In any of the branches of our clinic you can do digital fluorography using modern equipment. Unlike the old method of taking an image on film, digital fluorography transfers information to a computer. This provides a more accurate diagnosis, because the image on the computer is of much better quality. Also, in digital fluorography, the radiation dose is several times less than in fluorography done using the old method. All this allows us to make fluorography more accurate and safer.
No special preparation is needed. In the office itself, you must undress to the waist, remove all metal jewelry from your neck and ears, if the earrings are long. Long hair should be pinned higher so as not to interfere. Next, follow the instructions of the specialist. The picture is taken in a matter of seconds, during which you will need to hold your breath.
Fluorography results
A transcript of the results can be obtained within 30 minutes after fluorography. The conclusion reflects that the lungs are clean or indicates the deviations detected in the image - darkening, neoplasms and others. In case of deviations, you will need to consult a doctor and additional examinations, which the doctor will prescribe for an accurate diagnosis. Systematic fluorography can save lives!
Call us by phone number, sign up at any of our nearest branches in Moscow and the Moscow region to undergo fluorography of the lungs.
