Image Quality vs. Patient Dose

As you become familiar with the science of x-ray imaging, you will notice there is a constant struggle to minimizing patient dose while still obtaining quality medical images.  The very nature of medical imaging requires the sacrifice of one for the sake of the other.  This is more true now than ever since we've entered the digital age.  In order to get quality images, patient dose is usually sacrificed.  In this module, you will learn tools to increase image quality, and you will learn tools to decrease patient dose.  You will eventually see the constant battle that goes on to obtain good images and minimize dose.

The goal of this module is to introduce which imaging parameter affects image quality, and which affects patient dose.  You will learn:

  1. mAs - what it is and what controls it
  2. kVp - what it is and what controls it
  3. Density
  4. Contrast
  5. Geometric properties