During diagnostic imaging, what does an increase in mAs primarily result in?

An increase in mAs, which stands for milliampere-seconds, primarily results in increased exposure to radiation. This parameter is a product of the current (in milliamperes) multiplied by the time (in seconds) that the imaging equipment is active. Therefore, increasing mAs means that more photons are produced during the exposure, which translates directly to a higher dose of radiation being administered to the patient and recorded in the image receptor.

While other factors in imaging can affect aspects like contrast and detail, it is important to focus on the effect of mAs on radiation exposure. Higher mAs leads to more radiation being emitted, which ultimately enhances the image's exposure on the receptor, resulting in a potentially darker image if all other factors remain constant. Understanding the relationship between mAs and radiation exposure is critical for ensuring patient safety while achieving diagnostic quality images.