Sinus X-ray: A plain X-ray may show problems with the bones around the sinuses.

Pancreatic calcification can often be seen on plain abdominal X-rays, as well as CT scans.

Chest X-ray: A plain X-ray can tell if the trachea is deviated to either side of the chest.

Most human enteroliths are radiolucent on plain X-rays.

Traditional plain X-rays are less useful in the imaging of soft tissues such as the brain or muscle.

CT and fluoroscopy entail higher doses of radiation than do plain X-rays.

While a plain X-ray of the bones surrounding the pituitary may reveal the presence of a large macro-adenoma, the small micro-adenoma will not be apparent.

These structures are not seen on a plain X-ray without contrast material.

According to a paper of the Virtopsy group, CT scanning may be more suitable to body packer identification than conventional or plain abdominal X-rays.