What is a disadvantage of using low-kilovoltage technical factors?

Using low-kilovoltage technical factors is associated with an increased patient dose. This stems from the fact that low-kilovoltage settings result in higher radiation absorption by body tissues. Since lower kilovoltage leads to greater photoelectric absorption, particularly in denser tissues, the overall exposure to radiation for the patient tends to rise.

In medical imaging, while there may be advantages such as increased image contrast and potentially improved detail in certain contexts, the trade-off is that to achieve this without compromising image quality, the patient receives a higher dose of radiation. Therefore, the increased patient dose becomes a critical consideration in the decision-making process surrounding technical factors in imaging procedures, emphasizing the need to balance image quality with patient safety.