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Pelvis x-ray

Definition

A pelvis x-ray is a picture of the bones around both the hips. The pelvis connects the legs to the body.

Alternative Names

X-ray - pelvis

How the Test is Performed

The test is done in a radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an x-ray technician.

You will lie down on the table. The pictures are then taken. You may have to move your body to other positions to provide different views.

How to Prepare for the Test

Tell the provider if you are pregnant. Remove all jewelry, especially around your belly and legs. You will wear a hospital gown.

How the Test will Feel

The x-rays are painless. Changing position may cause discomfort.

Why the Test is Performed

The x-ray is used to look for:

  • Fractures
  • Tumors
  • Degenerative conditions of bones in the hips, pelvis, and upper legs
  • Abnormal shape of your bones or joint

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may suggest:

  • Pelvic fractures
  • Arthritis of the hip joint
  • Tumors of the bones of the pelvis
  • Sacroiliitis (inflammation of the area where the sacrum joins the ilium bone)
  • Ankylosing spondylitis (abnormal stiffness of the spine and joint)
  • Arthritis of the lower spine
  • Abnormality of the shape of your pelvis or hip joint

Risks

Children and the fetuses of pregnant women are more sensitive to the risks of the x-ray. A protective shield may be worn over areas not being scanned.

Gallery

Skeletal spine
The spine is divided into several sections. The cervical vertebrae make up the neck. The thoracic vertebrae comprise the chest section and have ribs attached. The lumbar vertebrae are the remaining vertebrae below the last thoracic bone and the top of the sacrum. The sacral vertebrae are caged within the bones of the pelvis, and the coccyx represents the terminal vertebrae or vestigial tail.
Sacrum
The sacrum is a shield-shaped bony structure that is located at the base of the lumbar vertebrae and that is connected to the pelvis. The sacrum forms the posterior pelvic wall and strengthens and stabilizes the pelvis. Joined at the very end of the sacrum are two to four tiny, partially fused vertebrae known as the coccyx or "tail bone". The coccyx provides slight support for the pelvic organs but actually is a bone of little use.

References

Stoneback JW, Gorman MA. Pelvic fractures. In: McIntyre RC, Schulick RD, eds. Surgical Decision Making. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 147.

Williams KD. Spondylolisthesis. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 40.

Last reviewed June 13, 2021 by C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team..

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