Final answer:
Scatter radiation reaching the image receptor leads to reduced contrast in the resulting radiographic image, resulting in a loss of image sharpness and overall image quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The negative effect of scatter radiation reaching the image receptor (IR) is reduced contrast. This reduction in contrast occurs because scatter radiation adds extraneous X-ray photons to the image that do not carry useful information about the body part being imaged. These extra photons lead to a graying of the image, which lowers the overall contrast, making it more difficult to discern the fine differences in tissue densities. Increased contrast is typically associated with more direct, less scattered radiation that provides a clearer image with greater differentiation between structures. Scatter radiation can create a veil of background radiation that obscures the true radiographic image and decreases the image sharpness as the surface becomes irregular, and an irregular surface produces a blurred image. Moreover, high frequency EM radiation photons carry more energy and the ability to disrupt materials through the photoelectric effect; in contrast, the random and diffuse nature of ionizing scatter radiation doesn't contribute effectively to the diagnostic quality of the image.