What is the effect of excessive kVp on DR image appearance?

• A. Increased image contrast
• B. Decreased image contrast
• C. Increased noise
• D. Decreased brightness

Answer: (B)

Too high kVp makes the beam too penetrating, which reduces the difference in attenuation between tissues. When the photons are energetic, they pass through tissues more uniformly and generate more Compton scatter, which adds a foggy, gray overall look. That means the distinct differences between structures (contrast) become less visible on the digital image. So the appearance is a loss of contrast, with tissues appearing more similar in brightness. The other options don’t fit: higher kVp doesn’t create more contrast; noise is more tied to exposure adequacy, and brightness is governed by detector exposure and processing rather than a direct, fixed effect of kVp.