With higher kVp, what happens to the radiation exposure rate at the patient?

When using higher kilovolt peak (kVp) settings, the radiation exposure rate at the patient typically increases. This occurs because higher kVp produces more penetrating X-rays, which have greater energy. As a result, these high-energy X-rays are more capable of passing through the patient's tissues, leading to a greater proportion of the X-rays reaching the detector or imaging device.

In addition to the increased penetration, higher kVp tends to reduce the amount of lower-energy radiation that contributes to patient dose while maintaining or increasing image quality. However, since the overall quantity of radiation produced also rises with increased kVp, the exposure rate to the patient ultimately becomes higher.

Understanding this principle is essential for optimizing image quality while managing radiation dose, as operators must balance the technical settings to achieve the best outcome for patient safety and diagnostic imaging efficacy.