Which of the following effects is observed when using automatic exposure control (AEC) to image a hyposthenic patient?

Using automatic exposure control (AEC) with a hyposthenic patient generally leads to decreased exposure time. A hyposthenic body type is characterized by a smaller, more slender physique, which can affect how the AEC system functions.

The role of AEC is to automatically adjust the exposure settings so that the image has the right amount of density, as determined by the density of the area being imaged. Because a hyposthenic patient has less tissue thickness, the AEC can quickly detect the appropriate exposure needed and consequently shorten the exposure time to avoid overexposing the film or detector. The system's sensitivity to the anatomical structures results in a quicker termination of the exposure, making it efficient in managing the varying density presented by different body types.

While there are other aspects of imaging that can be influenced by the body type, such as contrast and spatial resolution, for this scenario and with the use of AEC, the notable observation is the reduced exposure time due to the system's operation aligning more accurately with the lesser amount of tissue present in a hyposthenic patient.