Which condition would most likely increase the degree of the anode heel effect?

Which condition would most likely increase the degree of the anode heel effect?

• A. Decreased SID
• B. Increased SID
• C. Increased filtration
• D. Higher kVp

Answer: (A)

Anode heel effect arises because X-rays produced at the anode have to pass through different thicknesses of the anode itself, so photons toward the anode side are more attenuated than those toward the cathode side. The degree of this variation depends on how divergent the beam is across the field. When the source-to-image distance is shorter, the beam is more divergent, increasing the difference in attenuation between the cathode and anode edges and strengthening the heel effect. So decreasing the SID makes the heel effect more pronounced. Increasing the SID reduces the effect by making the beam more parallel. Filtration and higher kVp mainly change the energy spectrum and overall exposure rather than the geometric path differences that cause the heel effect.

Anode heel effect arises because X-rays produced at the anode have to pass through different thicknesses of the anode itself, so photons toward the anode side are more attenuated than those toward the cathode side. The degree of this variation depends on how divergent the beam is across the field. When the source-to-image distance is shorter, the beam is more divergent, increasing the difference in attenuation between the cathode and anode edges and strengthening the heel effect. So decreasing the SID makes the heel effect more pronounced. Increasing the SID reduces the effect by making the beam more parallel. Filtration and higher kVp mainly change the energy spectrum and overall exposure rather than the geometric path differences that cause the heel effect.