Which AEC-related issue can degrade image quality during radiography?

• A. Misaligned AEC chambers can degrade image quality.
• B. Using the correct chamber eliminates all exposure errors.
• C. Centering is not important for AEC.
• D. Using AEC without exposure compensation always improves image quality.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how AEC sensor placement affects the exposure the image receptor receives. Automatic exposure control works by using ionization chambers to sense the radiation that passes through the patient and to terminate the exposure when a target signal is reached. If those sensors aren’t aligned with the anatomy you intend to image, the system may terminate the exposure based on signal from the wrong area. This can cause underexposure in parts of the image or overexposure in others, leading to loss of contrast and detail and overall poorer image quality. Proper alignment and centering of the anatomy over the chambers help ensure the exposure is appropriate for the area of interest. While using the correct chamber reduces exposure errors in many cases, it doesn’t eliminate all variations—patient size, projection, and other positioning factors can still affect the final image.