All diagramsImage Production · kVp and Contrast
Adjust the kVp to see how many x-rays are absorbed, scattered, or transmitted through soft tissue and bone, and how subject contrast changes.
Mid-range kVp: the balance between contrast and dose
- As kVp rises, more x-rays pass through the patient and a smaller share are absorbed photoelectrically.
- More of the interactions that still happen are Compton scatter. Compton scatter does not depend on atomic number, so it adds nothing to contrast.
- Choosing the kVp for an exam is a compromise between subject contrast and patient dose.