If a DR image shows grid cutoff due to misalignment, what is the recommended first corrective action?

• A. Switch to a different imaging modality.
• B. Reposition the patient to center the anatomy on the grid and realign the grid/router.
• C. Ignore and repeat with the same setup.
• D. Increase exposure to overcome the cutoff.

Answer: (B)

Grid cutoff is a geometric issue that happens when the primary X-ray beam is not properly aligned with the grid, causing parts of the image to be underexposed along the edges. The first corrective action is to reposition the patient so the anatomy is centered on the grid and to realign the grid or the grid/router so the central ray passes through the grid’s center. This brings the beam, grid, and anatomy into proper alignment and eliminates the cutoff, giving uniform exposure across the image.

Switching modalities won’t fix the geometry, repeating with the same setup just repeats the problem, and increasing exposure won’t correct misalignment (it just increases dose without resolving the issue).