Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting receptor exposure?

Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting receptor exposure?

• A. Window Level
• B. Generators
• C. Collimation
• D. Filtration

Answer: (A)

Receptor exposure is determined by the actual x-ray beam delivered to the patient and the image receptor—the number and energy of photons that reach the receptor. Window level is a display adjustment that changes how the recorded gray values are mapped to brightness on the monitor; it does not alter the photons produced or reaching the receptor, so it does not affect receptor exposure. The other factors modify the beam in ways that change exposure: the generator type influences the voltage waveform and consistency of output, affecting dose to the receptor; collimation changes the irradiated field size (and therefore the amount of beam reaching the receptor and the amount of scatter); and filtration alters beam quality and the number of photons reaching the receptor by removing low-energy photons. Thus, window level is not a factor affecting receptor exposure.

Receptor exposure is determined by the actual x-ray beam delivered to the patient and the image receptor—the number and energy of photons that reach the receptor. Window level is a display adjustment that changes how the recorded gray values are mapped to brightness on the monitor; it does not alter the photons produced or reaching the receptor, so it does not affect receptor exposure. The other factors modify the beam in ways that change exposure: the generator type influences the voltage waveform and consistency of output, affecting dose to the receptor; collimation changes the irradiated field size (and therefore the amount of beam reaching the receptor and the amount of scatter); and filtration alters beam quality and the number of photons reaching the receptor by removing low-energy photons. Thus, window level is not a factor affecting receptor exposure.