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</ iframe > </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --><div id="header"> <div id="CClogo"><a href="https://www.cookchildrens.org"><span class="srText">Cook Children's</span></a></div> <div id="CCsearch"> <form id="searchform" name="searchform" method="GET" onsubmit="return (this.q.value == '') ? false : true;" action="/CookChildrens/en/parents/"> <input type="hidden" name="search" value="y"/> <input type="hidden" name="getfields" value="description"/> <input type="search" class="search" name="q" id="q" maxlength="256" autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" placeholder="Search"/> <input type="hidden" name="datasource" value="cookchildrens"> <input type="hidden" name="start" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="rows" value="10"> <input type="hidden" name="lang" value="english"> <input type="hidden" name="section" value="parents_teens_kids"> <input type="submit" value="" id="searchButton" class="buttonImage"/> </form> </div> </div> <!-- If we have main navigation separated then it will reside here --> <div id="thelou" tabindex="-1"> </div> <div id="mainContentContainer" class="kh-article-page"> <div id="rsSearchBrowse"> <div id="rsBrowse" role="navigation"> </div> <div id="rsSearch"> <div id="rsSectionLabel">parents</div> </div> </div> <div id="khContentHeading" class="ar licH"> <h1>X-Ray Exam: Upper Leg (Femur)</h1> </div> <div class="clearBox"> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="xp1"> </div><br clear="all" style="width: 0; height: 0; line-height: 0; font-size: 0;"><div id="khcontent_article" lang="en-us"> <div id="NavigatePage1"> <div id="whichRead_1"><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!-- The following article is brought to you by CookChildrens. --></span><div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"><script> var theRSURL = (escape(document.location.href)); var rsAudioTitle = document.title.replace(/ |\'|\?/g,"_"); var whichReadPage = 1; var doesItGotFlash = ''; makeTheRSLinkEN(); var readSpeakerDownloadLink = "//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&voice=Kate&speed=100&readid=khcontent_article&url="+theRSURL+"&audiofilename=KidsHealth_"+rsAudioTitle+""; </script></div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="languagePairLink" class="rs_skip"><a href="/CookChildrens/es/parents/xray-femur.html"><span class="pairedURLHead" lang="es">en español<img src="/images/n00/icons/langPairArrow.svg" alt=""></span><span class="pairedURLBody" lang="es">Radiografía: Parte superior de la pierna (fémur)</span></a></div> <!--googleon:all--><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><h3>What's an X-Ray?</h3><p><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/xrays.html">An X-ray</a> is a safe and painless test that uses a small amount of radiation to make an image of bones, organs, and other parts of the body.</p><p>The X-ray image is black and white. Dense body parts, such as bones, block the passage of the X-ray beam through the body. These look white on the X-ray image. Softer body tissues, such as the skin and muscles, allow the X-ray beams to pass through them. They look darker on the image.</p><p>X-rays are commonly done in doctors’ offices, radiology departments, imaging centers, and dentists’ offices.</p><h3>What's a Femur X-Ray?</h3><p>In a femur X-ray, an <a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/get-xray.html">X-ray machine</a> sends a beam of radiation through the upper leg (the area between the hip and knee), and an image is recorded on special film or a computer. This image shows the soft tissues and the bone in the upper leg, which is called the femur (FEE-mer).</p><p>An X-ray technician will take pictures of the femur:</p><ul><li>from the front (AP, or anteroposterior view)</li><li>from the side (lateral view)</li></ul><p>Femur X-rays are done with the person lying down or standing. They should stay still for 2-3 seconds while each X-ray is taken so the images are clear. If an image is blurred, the X-ray technician might take another one.</p></div><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><p class="center_this"><img src="/content/dam/patientinstructions/en/images/femurXray-400x271-rd1-enIL.gif" alt="" /></p></div><div class="rte-image"><!--<sly data-sly-test.buttonBorder="khb-noborder"></sly> --><h3>Why Are Femur X-Rays Done?</h3><p>A femur X-ray can help doctors find the cause of pain, limping, tenderness, swelling, or deformity of the upper leg. It can show a broken bone, and after a broken bone has been set, it can show if the bone is aligned and if it has healed properly.</p><p>An X-ray can help doctors plan surgery, when needed, and check the results after it. It also can help detect cysts, tumors, or other diseases in the bone, including later stages of bone infections.</p><h3>What if I Have Questions?</h3><p>If you have questions about the femur X-ray or what the results mean, talk to your doctor.</p></div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy">Medically reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD</div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: March 2022</div> </div><span class="ISI_MESSAGE"><!--Thank you for listening to this KidsHealth audio cast. The information you heard, is for educational purposes only. If you need medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment, consult your doctor. This audio cast is Copyrighted by KidsHealth. All rights are reserved.--></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <!--googleoff:all--> <div id="relatedBoxParents" class="t1 "> <div id="navTabs"> <ul id="navTabsPKT" role="tablist" aria-labelledby="moreOnThisTopicHeader"> <li role="presentation" class="wascurrent" id="PKTtabTeens"><button class="PKTJSTButton" role="tab" id="teens_tab" aria-controls="relatedArticlesListTeens" aria-selected="false" tabindex="-1"><span>for Teens</span></button></li> <li role="presentation" class="wascurrent" id="PKTtabKids"><button class="PKTJSTButton" role="tab" id="kids_tab" aria-controls="relatedArticlesListKids" aria-selected="false" tabindex="-1"><span>for Kids</span></button></li> <li role="presentation" class="current" id="PKTtabParents"><button class="PKTJSTButton" role="tab" id="parents_tab" aria-controls="relatedArticlesListParents" aria-selected="true" tabindex="0"><span>for Parents</span></button></li> </ul> </div> <div id="mainBar"> </div> <div id="mrLinks"> <h2 id="moreOnThisTopicHeader">MORE ON THIS TOPIC</h2> <ul id="relatedArticlesListParents" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="parents_tab"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/xrays.html">X-Ray Exams</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/get-xray.html">Getting an X-Ray</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/b-bone.html">Broken Bones</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/bones-muscles-joints.html">Bones, Muscles, and Joints</a></li> </ul> <ul id="relatedArticlesListKids" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="kids_tab"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/kids/video-xray.html">Getting an X-ray (Video)</a></li> </ul> <ul id="relatedArticlesListTeens" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="teens_tab"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/teens/video-xray.html">X-Ray (Video)</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="boxBreaker"> </div> <div id="zeroTester"> </div> <div id="relatedButtonsHolder"> <div id="relatedButtonsBoth"> <ul> <li id="relatedPrinterButton"><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/xray-femur.html?view=ptr" rel="nofollow" onclick="printWindow(this.href); return false;" title="This link will open in a new window.">Print<span class="newWindowIcon_leftSpace"> </span></a></li> <li id="relatedEmailFriendButton"><a rel="nofollow" href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/xray-femur.html?view=emailto" target="_blank" title="This link will open in a new window.">Send to a Friend<span class="newWindowIcon_leftSpace"> </span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div><br clear="all"></div><br clear="all"><script>window.onload=setVars('');PKTChoose(4,1,1,0);</script><div id="kh_lic_footer"> <nav aria-label="Content info"> <ul id="kh_lic_footer_links"> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/editorial-policy-licensee.html">Editorial Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/policy-licensees.html">KidsHealth Privacy Policy & Terms of Use</a></li> <li><a href="/CookChildrens/en/parents/copyright.html">Copyright</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div id="kh_lic_footer_legalease"> <p><img lang="en" alt="A KidsHealth Education Partner" src="/images/n00/logos/eduPartner3.svg"> Note: All information is for educational purposes only. 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