What is the effect of increasing mA on density?

Increasing the milliampere (mA) in radiographic imaging directly influences the amount of radiation produced by the x-ray tube. As the mA setting increases, the number of electrons flowing from the cathode to the anode also increases, resulting in a greater quantity of x-rays being generated during exposure.

Density in radiographic terms refers to the degree of blackening on the film or image receptor; it is a measure of how much of the x-ray beam is absorbed by the subject and how much reaches the imaging receptor. When more x-rays are produced because of a higher mA setting, more radiation reaches the receptor, leading to increased exposure. Consequently, this produces a darker image, meaning the density of the image is heightened.

Therefore, an increase in mA results in increased density of the image, correlating directly with the quantity of x-rays produced.