What is the effect of increasing the milliamperage (mA) on the radiographic image quality?

Increasing the milliamperage (mA) directly affects the quantity of radiation that is produced during an x-ray exposure. This increase in mA results in more x-ray photons being generated, which leads to a higher exposure of the image receptor—whether it be film or digital detector. As a consequence, the overall density of the radiographic image increases, making the image appear darker.

Higher density means that more photons have reached the receptor, thus enhancing the visibility of structures within the body that the x-rays are passing through. While mA primarily influences density, it can also indirectly affect image contrast; however, the most direct impact is on density. Therefore, when the mA is increased, the increase in image density is the primary outcome that reflects improved interpretation capability when examining the radiographic image.