What impact does beam hardening have on digital radiographs?

Beam hardening occurs when low-energy photons in the X-ray beam are absorbed more than high-energy photons as they pass through the patient and the surrounding materials. This results in a beam that is "hardened," meaning it has a higher average energy. In digital radiography, beam hardening can lead to image artifacts, which are distortions or anomalies in the image that can obscure or misrepresent anatomical structures.

These artifacts may appear as dark bands or streaks, particularly in areas where there are high density differences, such as near contrast agents or in regions of considerable tissue variation. Thus, when beam hardening occurs, it introduces inaccuracies in the radiographic appearance, complicating the interpretation of the images by radiologists and potentially leading to misdiagnosis.

The other options do not correctly describe the primary effects of beam hardening on digital radiographs; for example, it does not increase image size, enhance patient safety, or improve processing speed. Instead, understanding and mitigating beam hardening effects are essential for producing high-quality diagnostic images.