American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Practice Exam

A larger field of view in radiologic imaging typically requires more exposure because it increases the area that the x-ray beam must cover. When the field of view is enlarged, the detector collects more information from a wider area, which necessitates increasing the radiation dose to maintain image quality. This is due to a larger volume of tissue being imaged, leading to greater attenuation of the x-rays as they pass through more matter, and therefore, a higher exposure is needed to ensure that the resulting image has adequate contrast and detail after the radiation interacts with the photographic film or digital detector.

Moreover, a larger field can result in more scatter radiation affecting the quality of the image, which may further necessitate increasing the exposure to compensate for the loss of contrast. Maintaining image clarity is vital in radiology, and adjusting exposure levels in response to changes in the field of view is an essential aspect of radiologic practice.