Which variable is directly proportional to the exposure delivered to the patient during a fluoroscopic procedure?

The amount of radiation exposure delivered to the patient during a fluoroscopic procedure is directly influenced by milliamperage (mA). Milliamperage refers to the current flowing through the x-ray tube and determines the number of x-ray photons produced. A higher mA results in a greater quantity of radiation being emitted, leading to increased exposure to the patient. Thus, there is a direct relationship: as mA increases, the exposure to the patient also increases.

On the other hand, kilovolt (kVp) primarily affects the quality and penetrating power of the x-rays rather than the quantity of exposure delivered directly. While increased kVp can improve image quality and reduce the required exposure time, it does not correlate directly to the amount of exposure in the same way that mA does.

The thickness of filtration is intended to remove lower-energy, less useful x-ray photons from the beam, thus indirectly affecting patient exposure by improving beam quality but not necessarily increasing patient dose.

Target-to-panel or tabletop distance pertains to the geometry of the x-ray beam and scatter radiation but does not directly correlate to the exposure delivered. It's more about how the distance can affect image quality and intensity of the x-ray beam relative to distance.

Therefore, milliamperage