The intensity of radiation from a fluoroscopic x-ray tube decreases as which factor increases?

The intensity of radiation from a fluoroscopic x-ray tube diminishes as the distance from the tube increases due to the inverse square law. This fundamental principle of radiation physics indicates that the intensity of radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. Therefore, as you move further away from the x-ray tube, the amount of radiation that reaches a specific point decreases significantly. For example, doubling the distance from the source reduces the radiation intensity to a quarter of its original value, making this a critical concept for minimizing exposure to both patients and operators.

While other factors like exposure time, patient size, and filtration can impact radiation dose and quality, they do not directly relate to the geometric distribution of radiation intensity in the same manner that distance does. Consequently, increasing the distance results in a lower intensity of radiation, which is essential for promoting safety during fluoroscopy procedures.