an x-ray of the chest produces a black-and-white image of the lungs. it also shows an outline of the heart and the pulmonary arteries. a chest x-ray can show if your heart has become larger than normal. this often happens in people with pulmonary hypertension (ph) because the heart has to work harder. chest x-rays can also be used to detect causes of breathlessness, other than ph, such as scarring of the lungs.
whether or not a person has ph, additional testing is normally needed to firmly establish a diagnosis.
a chest x-ray for ph is done like any other x-ray. you will be asked to stand still in front of an x-ray machine. in some cases, two x-rays of the chest will be taken.
