Which factors influence patient radiation dose?

The correct answer emphasizes the importance of collimation, filtration, and x-ray beam restriction in influencing patient radiation dose during radiographic procedures.

Collimation refers to the narrowing of the x-ray beam to only include the area of interest. This practice minimizes the exposure of surrounding healthy tissues to radiation, thereby reducing the overall radiation dose to the patient. By limiting the beam size to the necessary region, collimation directly impacts the amount of radiation that the patient receives.

Filtration involves using materials that absorb low-energy x-rays from the beam before they reach the patient. These low-energy x-rays contribute to patient dose without providing any useful diagnostic information, as they do not penetrate sufficiently to contribute to the image. By filtering these out, the overall patient dose can be reduced, as only higher-energy, more penetrating x-rays reach the patient.

X-ray beam restriction serves a similar purpose as collimation but can often include additional physical barriers or devices that further limit radiation exposure. Effective beam restriction ensures that only the necessary area is irradiated, thus minimizing unnecessary radiation to adjacent tissues.

Together, these factors are essential to optimizing the balance between image quality and patient safety, ensuring that the radiation dose is kept as low as reasonably achievable while still obtaining diagnostic images