Which exposure modification will increase the anode heel effect?

The anode heel effect refers to the variation in x-ray intensity between the anode and cathode ends of the x-ray beam, with the intensity being greater on the cathode side. This phenomenon occurs due to the geometry of the x-ray tube, and it can be influenced by certain factors.

Decreasing the source-to-image distance (SID) increases the intensity of the x-ray beam at the image receptor. This is because closer proximity to the source amplifies the effects of the anode heel effect, as the x-ray photons emitted from the anode have a more pronounced path, resulting in a larger difference in intensity across the beam. Therefore, when the SID is decreased, the impact of the anode heel effect is enhanced, making the difference in exposure more noticeable, with the cathode side receiving a greater concentration of x-rays.

In contrast, decreasing kilovoltage peak (kVp), decreasing exposure time (S), and decreasing milliamperage (mA) do not necessarily elevate the anode heel effect. Lowering the kVp results in lower energy x-rays, which can reduce the overall penetration power but doesn’t directly amplify the geometry-related differences created by the anode heel effect. Similarly, shorter exposure times or lower