Study for the Advanced Patient Assessment Exam. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each enriched with hints and detailed explanations. Equip yourself for success with this comprehensive prep!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


To minimize the magnification associated with portable films, how far should the patient and the film be from the source of the x-rays in a conventional chest x-ray?

  1. 6 feet

  2. 12 feet

  3. 8 feet

  4. 10 feet

The correct answer is: 6 feet

To minimize magnification in portable film radiography, the distance between the x-ray source and the film is crucial. When the patient and the film are placed further away from the x-ray source, it reduces the geometrical distortion and magnification that can occur due to the divergence of x-ray beams. The commonly accepted practice in conventional chest x-rays is to maintain a distance of 6 feet or more from the x-ray source to ensure high-quality images with minimal distortion. In this context, the choice of 6 feet reflects established protocols that prioritize image clarity and diagnostic accuracy. This distance helps ensure that the anatomical structures of the chest are presented with as little enlargement or distortion as possible, which is essential for accurate interpretation by healthcare professionals.