Rock the CAMRT Radiography Exam 2025 – Snap Your Future into Focus!

An increase in pitch in computed tomography refers to the ratio of the distance the table moves during one full rotation of the X-ray tube to the width of the X-ray beam. When the pitch increases, it means that the table moves further during this rotation, which results in a larger area being scanned in a given time period.

As the pitch increases, the X-ray beam is spread over a larger area, leading to a reduction in the radiation dose per unit area of the scanned tissue. This is because the same amount of radiation is effectively shared over a larger volume, thereby decreasing the exposure to any specific area. Consequently, for a given volume of tissue, the overall dose delivered to the patient decreases as the pitch increases.

In clinical practice, a higher pitch can improve scan speed and potentially reduce the overall radiation dose, which is particularly important in keeping patient safety a top priority. This makes the correct answer that an increase in pitch results in a decrease in radiation dose.