How does modifying the mAs value affect patient radiation dose during an X-ray procedure?

Modifying the mAs ( milliampere-seconds) value directly affects the amount of radiation delivered to the patient during an X-ray procedure. When the mAs is increased, it means that either the current (milliamperes) or the time (seconds) of exposure, or both, are increased, leading to a higher quantity of radiation being emitted.

This increase in radiation correlates directly with the radiation dose received by the patient. A higher mAs means more photons are produced, and as a result, the patient absorbs a greater amount of radiation. Therefore, increasing the mAs directly increases the patient dose, making it crucial for healthcare professionals to carefully balance mAs with the need for image quality. If the mAs is set too high, it can lead to unnecessary exposure for the patient without significant benefits in image clarity.