CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

How can dose creep during radiographic procedures be avoided?

1. By paying attention to EI values

2. By restricting mAs values to less than 20

3. By using the highest kVp available

4. By increasing SNR

The correct answer is: By paying attention to EI values

Dose creep refers to the unintended increase in radiation dose that occurs when radiographers, in an attempt to improve image quality, incrementally raise exposure settings without necessity. This can lead to patient overexposure if not managed properly. Paying attention to Exposure Indicator (EI) values is crucial in avoiding dose creep. EI values provide an objective measurement indicating whether the exposure for the image has been optimized. By maintaining awareness of these values, radiographers can adjust their technique appropriately to ensure that images are not overexposed while still achieving the desired quality. The EI serves as a guide for optimizing the balance between image quality and patient safety, ensuring that exposures remain within acceptable limits. Other options may not effectively prevent dose creep. For instance, restricting mAs values without appropriate context might lead to poorer image quality if not balanced with other factors, such as patient size or the specific diagnostic requirements. Using the highest kVp available could enhance image contrast and reduce patient dose, but it might also lead to dose creep if not properly tailored to the individual patient situation. Increasing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is important for image clarity but is not a direct method for controlling exposure levels itself, potentially leading to unnecessary increases in dose if not managed alongside other exposure parameters