Which two of the following technical modifications will decrease beam quality?

Decreasing the kilovoltage peak (kVp) directly impacts the quality of the X-ray beam. Kilovoltage peak determines the maximum energy of the X-rays produced; therefore, a lower kVp results in a beam with reduced energy and penetration ability. This decrease in energy leads to a lower overall beam quality, which is characterized by a less effective ability to penetrate tissues.

Additionally, decreased kVp also results in a wider range of photon energies, producing a less uniform beam and increasing the likelihood of photon interactions with matter, ultimately leading to softer images with lower contrast. In imaging, this can make it more challenging to distinguish between different tissues, thereby compromising image clarity and diagnostic utility.

Moreover, increased filtration would help in enhancing beam quality by removing lower-energy photons from the beam, which do not contribute effectively to image formation and are primarily responsible for additional patient dose without improving the quality of the image. Thus, decreased filtration would conversely degrade beam quality, but the primary factor in this question is the effect of reduced kilovoltage peak.