What is the purpose of automatic exposure control (AEC) in digital radiography?

The purpose of automatic exposure control (AEC) in digital radiography is to automatically adjust exposure time based on image density. AEC systems utilize sensors to measure radiation exposure reaching the image receptor and continuously monitor the image quality throughout the exposure. This allows the system to terminate the exposure when the desired level of image density has been achieved, ensuring optimal image quality while minimizing unnecessary radiation to the patient.

By adjusting the exposure time, AEC optimizes radiation dose, thereby improving safety for both patients and staff while maintaining high-quality images. This functionality is crucial because it helps in achieving consistent results across different studies and patient conditions without relying solely on manual adjustment by the radiologic technologist.

Other options may focus on elements like patient exposure or image resolution improvements, but AEC specifically addresses exposure time adjustments in relation to the image density, making it an essential component of modern digital radiography systems.