Question

When increasing or decreasing kVp is used to change digital image receptor exposure, which of the following adverse affects can happen?

1. the anatomical part may be underpenetrated
2. visibility of detail can be lost because of increased scatter ratiation
3. subject contrast can be decreased
4. all the above

Answer 1

When increasing or decreasing kVp is used to change digital image receptor exposure, all the mentioned adverse effects can happen: underpenetration of the anatomical part, loss of detail due to scatter radiation, and decreased subject contrast.

Step-by-step explanation:

When increasing or decreasing kVp is used to change digital image receptor exposure, all the above adverse effects can happen. An increase or decrease in kVp can result in the anatomical part being underpenetrated, the loss of visibility of detail due to increased scatter radiation, and a decrease in subject contrast. Let's look at each of these effects in more detail:

1. Underpenetration: If the kVp is too low, the x-rays may not have enough energy to penetrate through the anatomical part properly, leading to underexposure and a lack of details in the image.
2. Loss of detail: When the kVp is increased, more scatter radiation is produced, which can obscure the details of the image. This is because higher kVp allows more x-rays to interact with the patient, resulting in increased scatter radiation.
3. Decreased subject contrast: Subject contrast refers to the differences in x-ray absorption between different tissues or structures. When the kVp is increased, the x-rays have higher energy and can pass through the structures more easily, resulting in decreased subject contrast and a loss of image quality.

PJ11