X-Ray Knee (AP / Lateral)
A focused scan for Knee joint, Patella, Femur and more.
Overview
Examines Knee joint, Patella, Femur, Tibia. Performed at an NABL-accredited Meridian Health centre with a same-day report and a free doctor review.
The full panel
4 areas across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this scan measures
Two views of the knee — front (anteroposterior) and side (lateral) — showing the ends of the femur and tibia, the kneecap (patella), the joint space between them, and the bone texture. Weight-bearing views are sometimes added because the joint space narrows only when the joint is loaded.
It is the first imaging test for knee pain, injury and suspected arthritis. It answers whether there is a fracture, how much cartilage has been lost (judged indirectly from the joint space), whether there are osteophytes or loose bodies, and whether the alignment is normal — all decisions that come before any question of an MRI.
Symptoms that lead to this scan
- Knee pain, stiffness or swelling, especially on standing or stairs
- Injury with immediate swelling or inability to bear weight
- A knee that locks, catches or gives way
- Deformity or bow-legged appearance
- Assessment before knee surgery or injection
Understanding your results
X-ray shows bone, not soft tissue: a normal knee X-ray does not exclude a torn meniscus, a cruciate ligament tear or early cartilage damage, all of which need an MRI. Joint-space narrowing, osteophytes (bone spurs), subchondral sclerosis and cysts are the four features used to describe osteoarthritis, and the radiological grade correlates only loosely with how much pain a person has — plenty of people have marked changes and few symptoms, and the reverse is also true. Treatment is decided on symptoms and function, not on the film alone.
Why the preparation matters
No preparation. Wear loose clothing or shorts so the knee can be exposed without metal zips or studs in the field, and remove any knee brace if you are able to. Tell the radiographer if you cannot straighten the leg fully or bear weight, because the views will be adapted rather than forced.
X-Ray — safety and who should not be scanned
Full X-Ray guideThis is a low-dose ionising radiation test. Published reference figures put a chest X-ray at roughly the natural background radiation an average person absorbs over about ten days — less than a long-haul flight adds. Views through thicker tissue, such as the abdomen or lumbar spine, carry a meaningfully higher dose, which is why they are ordered more selectively. Modern digital detectors need far less radiation than the film systems they replaced, and the beam is collimated to the area being examined.
- Pregnancy, or any chance of it
- Tell the radiographer before the exposure, not after. X-rays of the chest or a limb deliver very little to the uterus and can often proceed with shielding when clinically necessary, but abdominal and pelvic views are usually deferred or replaced by ultrasound. The decision is made deliberately, by a doctor, in every case.
- Children and repeated imaging
- Children are more radiosensitive and have more years ahead in which an effect could appear, so paediatric exposures use reduced settings and every repeat is justified individually. If you have had several X-rays recently, say so — prior images can often be reused instead.
- Inability to hold the position or the breath
- Movement blurs the image and usually means the exposure has to be repeated, doubling the dose for no benefit. Tell the radiographer if pain, breathlessness or unsteadiness will make the position difficult; the view can almost always be adapted or supported.
- Metal and dense objects in the field
- Jewellery, coins, hairpins, bra underwires, belt buckles, dentures and some clothing prints appear as solid white shadows that can hide the anatomy underneath. They are removed before the exposure rather than worked around.
Who should consider this scan
- Adults with persistent knee pain or stiffness
- Anyone after a fall, twist or sports injury to the knee
- People with known osteoarthritis being reassessed
- Patients being considered for knee replacement
- Anyone with a deformity or progressive difficulty walking
Conditions it helps detect
How it works
Patient stories
96% recommend“The phlebotomist arrived exactly on time and was gentle. My report came in five hours with a doctor’s note.”
“Booked at night, sample collected next morning. The parameter breakdown is genuinely thorough.”
“Loved the free doctor review — she walked me through my vitamin D and thyroid results clearly.”