What is the outcome of increasing milliamperage (mA) on x-ray beam quality?

Increasing the milliamperage (mA) in an x-ray tube primarily affects the quantity of x-rays produced rather than the quality of the beam. mA controls the tube current, which influences the number of electrons flowing from the cathode to the anode. A higher mA leads to a greater number of x-ray photons being generated, resulting in an increase in overall exposure or intensity of the x-ray beam.

However, the quality of the x-ray beam, which is defined by its penetrating power determined by the average photon energy, is mainly influenced by factors such as the kilovolt peak (kVp) setting. When the kVp is increased, the energy of the x-rays increases, enhancing their ability to penetrate tissues. Simply increasing mA does not change the energy distribution of the x-ray photons; it only enhances the quantity while leaving the quality or penetrating power of the beam unchanged.

Thus, when mA is increased, the x-ray beam quality remains unchanged, making it the correct response.