How does the misplacement of AEC detectors affect the patient's radiation dose?

Misplacement of Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) detectors can indeed lead to varying exposure outcomes, which directly impacts the patient's radiation dose. When AEC detectors are not positioned correctly relative to the area being imaged, it can trigger two main scenarios: underexposure and overexposure.

Underexposure occurs when the AEC fails to detect adequate radiation, resulting in the image being too dark or insufficiently captured. To achieve a proper diagnosis, the radiologic technologist may need to repeat the imaging procedure, leading to an increased cumulative dose of radiation for the patient.

On the other hand, overexposure happens when the AEC overcompensates due to the incorrect placement of the detectors, causing the patient to receive more radiation than necessary. This can result in an image that is overly bright, potentially obscuring key details needed for diagnosis and also exposing the patient to unnecessary additional radiation.

Thus, recognizing that misplacement can cause both underexposure and overexposure underscores the importance of correct AEC detector positioning to adhere to the principles of radiation protection and minimizing patient dose. This dual potential outcome justifies why selecting the option indicating that both scenarios are possible is accurate.