What effect does increased collimation have on image quality in digital radiography?

Increased collimation enhances image quality in digital radiography by limiting the size of the x-ray beam to the area of interest. This reduction in beam size effectively minimizes the amount of scatter radiation that reaches the detector.

When collimation is appropriately used, it results in a cleaner image with improved contrast because less scatter means that the x-ray photons contributing to the image are more likely to originate from the anatomical structures of interest rather than background noise. The higher image contrast allows for better differentiation between various tissues, making abnormalities easier to detect. Additionally, increased collimation can reduce the overall dose of radiation the patient is exposed to, as it focuses the radiation on the necessary area and avoids unnecessary exposure of surrounding tissues.

In summary, enhanced collimation leads to improved image quality by increasing the contrast and sharpness of the radiographic image, enabling radiologists to perform more accurate evaluations.