Final answer:
Increasing kVp in X-ray procedures allows for a decrease in mAs, reducing patient exposure to radiation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the kVp (kilovolt peak) is increased in an X-ray procedure, the mAs (milliampere seconds) can be decreased to reduce patient exposure. kVp determines the energy level of the X-ray beam, while mAs controls the amount of X-rays produced.
Increasing the kVp allows for greater penetration of the X-rays through the body, resulting in clearer images. This means that less mAs is needed to achieve the same image quality. By reducing the mAs, the amount of X-rays reaching the patient is reduced, leading to a lower dose of radiation exposure.
For example, if the kVp is increased from 70 to 90, the mAs can be decreased from 20 to 10, resulting in the same image quality with less radiation exposure to the patient.