Which of the following is a potentially negative consequence of an increased anode angle?

An increased anode angle can lead to an increased effective focal spot size. The effective focal spot is the area projected onto the anatomy being imaged, and its size is crucial because it influences the resolution and sharpness of the image. When the anode angle is increased, the geometry of the x-ray tube changes in such a way that the area from which the x-rays are emitted becomes larger. This is primarily because a steeper angle creates a smaller actual focal spot but results in a wider effective focal spot due to the geometry involved.

In radiography, a larger effective focal spot can degrade image quality by reducing spatial resolution, which is not always desirable, especially in detailed imaging scenarios. Thus, while an increased anode angle can sometimes allow for greater heat dissipation and prolong tube life, it also comes with the trade-off of potentially decreased image sharpness due to the increased effective focal spot size.