What is the primary purpose of filtration in an x-ray system?

The primary purpose of filtration in an x-ray system is to reduce patient dose. Filtration involves placing a material, typically aluminum, in the path of the x-ray beam. This material absorbs low-energy x-rays that contribute little to the diagnostic image but significantly increase the dose received by the patient. By selectively removing these less penetrating x-rays, the filtration process enhances patient safety while still allowing sufficient high-energy x-rays to produce an adequate image.

Reducing patient dose is especially important in radiology, as minimizing unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation should be a priority in any medical imaging practice. While filtration can also have secondary benefits such as helping to improve image quality by decreasing the amount of scatter radiation reaching the detector, its primary function remains centered on enhancing patient safety through dose reduction.