Final answer:
Pulmonary fibrosis causes the lungs to become denser and less compliant, necessitating an increase in the exposure technique in radiographic imaging to acquire a clear image.
Step-by-step explanation:
When determining the appropriate exposure technique for imaging, the density of the tissue is a key consideration. Among the pathological conditions listed pneumothorax, osteoporosis, pleural effusion, and fibrosis, it is fibrosis that would require an increase in exposure technique. This is because pulmonary fibrosis causes the lungs to become less pliable, leading to reduced compliance of the lung tissues. As a result, the lungs cannot expand and contract as easily. This restriction makes the lung tissue denser and necessitates increased radiation to penetrate the tissue and obtain a clear image. Therefore, imaging for pulmonary fibrosis needs to be adjusted with increased exposure to account for this increased lung tissue density.