What effect does the addition of filtration have on the amount of radiation dosage received by the patient?

The addition of filtration in radiographic systems is primarily aimed at improving the quality of the X-ray beam by removing low-energy photons that contribute little to the diagnostic image but increase the patient’s radiation dose. Low-energy X-rays do not penetrate tissue effectively and are more likely to be absorbed by the skin, leading to unnecessary radiation exposure. By incorporating the appropriate level of filtration, the overall radiation dose received by the patient is decreased because the beam is more focused on higher-energy photons that are more effective for imaging.

In this context, the role of filtration is essential in optimizing the balance between image quality and radiation safety. Hence, the correct understanding is that the addition of filtration leads to a decrease in the radiation dose received by the patient, making it an important practice in the field of radiology to ensure patient safety while still achieving adequate imaging results.