A Radiologic Technologist’s Honest Plea:
“Please… just come in with a plain T-shirt!”
— The Truth Behind the Mysterious “Staircase Shadows” on Chest X-rays
Reading time: approx. 5 minutes
Who Should Read This
- Anyone scheduled for a chest X-ray at a workplace or community health check
- Anyone who asks, “Can I keep my bra on?” every year
- Anyone who believes “Camisoles and bra tops should be fine, right?”
- Anyone who wants to avoid retakes, extra radiation, and wasted time
- Anyone curious about what radiology staff silently struggle with every year
Conclusion: A Single T-shirt Is the Most Powerful Outfit on Earth for Chest X-rays
No metal.
No plastic.
No compression.
Clothes that meet these three rules produce the clearest, most diagnostic-quality image.
Bras, bra tops, camisoles…
All of them are officially in the “Hall of NG (No-Good) Items.”
Why? Because:
- Compression marks create shadows that shouldn’t exist on your body
- Metal or plastic parts appear as foreign objects
In short:
These shadows can lower the diagnostic quality of your image.
And the infamous artifact mentioned in the title—
the “mysterious staircase”—
This is the ultimate trouble caused by bra tops.
Let’s walk through the reasons clearly from the perspective of the imaging room.
The Season Every Radiologic Technologist Secretly Dreads
When health-check season arrives, techs quietly brace themselves:
(Inner voice: “Here comes the bra problem again…
Please… no bra tops today…”)
Every year, we hear the same questions:
- “Is it okay to keep my bra on?”
- “My camisole only has tiny plastic parts—should be fine, right?”
- “My bra top doesn’t have metal, so it’s OK?”
We’ve heard these questions literally thousands of times.
But here’s the truth:
The moment there is compression, it’s already NG.
The skin gets squeezed,
creating unnatural lines — like someone drew stripes with a marker.
These lines show up very clearly on X-rays.
Patients never mean harm—they simply don’t know.
That’s exactly why I want to explain this clearly in this article.
Why Bras Are NG — A Gentle Explanation From a Professional
Compression Lines Interfere With Diagnosis
Chest X-rays rely on very subtle shades of gray.
When bra lines appear, they can:
- Mimic breast tissue shadows
- Create horizontal lines near the diaphragm
- Overlap with pulmonary vessels
- Make radiologists wonder:
“Is this pathology? Or just pressure marks?”
This confusion can delay diagnosis or trigger unnecessary additional tests.
Metal and Plastic Components Appear Clearly
Bra hooks, plastic rings on camisoles—
they all show up, unmistakably.
Sometimes these tiny beads or dots resemble calcifications.
Radiologists often react like:
“Is this a lesion? Or a foreign body?”
And it’s not just bras.
Necklaces, pendants, medicated patches, warmers—all of them show up.
Bra Tops Create the Worst Artifact: The “Staircase Shadow”
Even without metal, their compression is powerful:
- The body tissue forms steps
- These steps appear as literal “stairs” on the X-ray
- Radiologists double-check:
“Is this just clothing? Or something abnormal?”
This is the true identity of the “mysterious staircase.”
Camisoles and Their “Tiny Plastic Rings” — Also NG
The small circular adjusters on both straps?
Yes. They show up very clearly.
Most people think, “Something this small won’t appear.”
But X-rays are not forgiving.
Winter Brings the “Heat-Tech Problem”
Loose T-shirt-type layers → OK
Tight-fitting, high-compression types → NG
Tank-top types → Leaning NG (armpit compression is common)
So What Should You Wear?
Correct Answer: ONE T-SHIRT
✔ Thin T-shirt
✔ Airism-type T-shirt
✔ Thin shirt with plastic buttons
✔ Loose heat-tech T-shirt style
As long as it meets:
- No metal
- No plastic
- No compression
…you’re almost always good.
❌ NG List (Save This!)
| Item | Why It’s NG |
| Bra | Metal, seams, compression |
| Bra top | Creates the “staircase” artifact |
| Camisole | Plastic rings appear clearly |
| Tank-top innerwear | Compression shadows around the armpit |
| Necklaces | Metal shadows |
| Medicated patches / warmers | Show up even on the back |
How to Prepare on the Day (From a Tech’s Real Perspective)
- Wear your normal clothes to the venue
- Put one T-shirt for imaging in your bag
- In the changing area:
- Remove your bra
- Put on the T-shirt
- Remove your bra
- Store your bra deep inside your bag for safety
- After imaging, change back and you’re done
Just remembering this makes everything perfect.
A Retake Hurts Everyone
A retake means:
- More time for you
- Slightly increased radiation dose
- Longer waiting time for people behind you
- Workflow interruption for the staff
By wearing appropriate clothing,
you’re helping every single person visiting the clinic that day.
That’s a wonderful form of quiet kindness.
A Radiologic Technologist’s Honest Request
We explain this hundreds of times each year.
Why do we keep repeating it?
Because we want to protect your health with the clearest images possible.
So please allow me to say this once more:
No metal.
No plastic.
No compression.
Just one T-shirt — that’s all we ask!
It truly helps every technologist on site.
Clothing Checklist
✔ Clothing on arrival
Anything is fine
—but avoid dresses (you’ll be fully exposed when changing)
✔ Remove
- Necklaces / pendants
- Medicated patches / warmers
✔ Bring
- Your “imaging T-shirt”
(This one item solves everything!)
Final Message: Your Cooperation Makes Healthcare Better
Now that you’ve read this,
you’re officially a chest X-ray expert.
And if you share this knowledge with family or friends,
the whole community’s health screening becomes smoother and more accurate.
A small act from you
can protect someone’s health
and reduce unnecessary crowding in medical facilities.
All radiologic technologists truly appreciate
your visit in simple T-shirt style!
✅ Related Articles
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── A gentle explanation of how next-generation PCCT delivers clearer images with less radiation, from a radiologic technologist’s perspective.👉 Why Compression Matters in Mammography — A Gentle Guide to Reducing Pain
── An empathetic explanation of why compression is necessary and practical ways to make the exam more comfortable.👉 CT Colonography for Beginners — A Comfortable, Low-Stress Option for Colorectal Screening
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