Which statement about exposure factors and image quality is true?

• A. Increasing exposure factors will generally increase receptor exposure and patient dose.
• B. Increasing exposure factors will decrease receptor exposure.
• C. Receptor exposure is independent of exposure factors.
• D. Image quality is unaffected by exposure factors.

Answer: (A)

Exposure factors determine how many x-ray photons are produced and reach the image receptor. When these factors are increased, more photons are generated and more of them pass through the patient to the receptor, so receptor exposure goes up and the patient’s dose increases as well. Receptor exposure depends on exposure factors; lowering them would reduce exposure, not keep it the same. Image quality is also affected by exposure factors—higher exposure generally reduces quantum noise and can improve diagnostic quality up to a point, but it does so at the cost of higher dose and can alter contrast with different kVp settings. So the statement that increasing exposure factors will generally increase receptor exposure and patient dose is the best description of the relationship.