Final answer:
The disadvantages of using low-kilovoltage (kV) technical factors in x-ray imaging include insufficient penetration, increased patient dose, and diminished latitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
The disadvantages of using low-kilovoltage (kV) technical factors in x-ray imaging include insufficient penetration, increased patient dose, and diminished latitude.
Insufficient penetration occurs because low-kV factors result in x-ray photons with low energy. As a result, they have limited ability to penetrate dense materials, such as bones, resulting in poor quality images.
Increased patient dose is another disadvantage of using low-kV factors. Higher kV factors result in x-ray photons with higher energy, which can penetrate the patient's body more effectively. With low-kV factors, more radiation is needed to achieve the desired image, increasing the dose to the patient.
Diminished latitude refers to the limited range of densities that can be adequately captured in the x-ray image. Low-kV factors have a narrower latitude compared to higher kV factors, resulting in a reduced ability to differentiate between different tissue densities.