What exposure time would be required to achieve 80 milliampere-seconds (mAs) at a 400 milliampere (mA) station?

To determine the correct exposure time needed to achieve 80 milliampere-seconds (mAs) at a 400 milliampere (mA) station, you can use the formula for calculating mAs, which is:

mAs = mA × time in seconds.

Rearranging the formula to find the exposure time gives us:

time in seconds = mAs / mA.

Substituting the values into this formula, you get:

time in seconds = 80 mAs / 400 mA = 0.2 seconds.

This result indicates that, in order to achieve a total exposure of 80 mAs at a 400 mA setting, an exposure time of 0.2 seconds is required. This calculation aligns with the correct answer, which accurately reflects the relationship between milliampere seconds, milliamperes, and exposure time. Understanding this calculation is crucial for radiologic technologists in ensuring appropriate dosage and image quality during procedures.