Loop recorder chest X-ray: what to know

A loop recorder sits beneath the skin of the chest and records heart rhythm over time. On an X-ray it may appear as a small device, allowing a clinician to check its location after insertion or when there is concern about movement. The image can also show parts of the lungs and chest, although it cannot diagnose every cause of pain, breathlessness, cough, or palpitations. An X-ray result is interpreted alongside your symptoms, examination, and any recorder download. Learn more about [Chest X-Ray](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/chest-x-ray/).

Tell the imaging team that you have an implanted monitor and mention if you could be pregnant. Wear clothing that allows the chest area to be positioned comfortably and follow the department's instructions about jewellery or metal items. The scan itself is brief, but you may need to stand or lie still while images are taken. Arrange a [GP Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/gp-consultation/) if the X-ray was requested for an ongoing cough, fever, or breathing change; the X-ray and recorder information answer different clinical questions.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or worsening breathlessness, chest pressure, fainting, blue lips, new confusion, or coughing blood. Contact the clinician who inserted the recorder promptly if the wound becomes increasingly red, swollen, hot, painful, or starts draining, or if the device seems to have shifted. A cough lasting a long time deserves assessment; possible causes include [Chronic Cough](/conditions/chronic-cough/), [Pneumonia](/conditions/pneumonia/), or [Tuberculosis](/conditions/tuberculosis/), but symptoms alone do not establish a diagnosis.

Ask what question the X-ray is intended to answer, whether the recorder position looks expected, when its rhythm data will be reviewed, and which symptoms should prompt an earlier appointment.