Which technique is used to produce a low contrast (long scale) image?

Using a high kilovolt peak (kVp) setting in radiography is fundamental in producing a low contrast, or long scale, image. This occurs because a higher kVp increases the energy of the X-ray photons generated, which, in turn, allows them to penetrate denser tissues more effectively. This penetration leads to more shades of gray in the image, resulting in a more detailed representation of differing densities within the tissues.

In practical terms, this means that when the kVp is raised, there is a greater variation in the interaction of the X-rays with different materials in the image, contributing to a broader spectrum of radiographic densities. Consequently, this yields more diagnostic information without a stark contrast between different tissues, making the image softer and often preferred for certain analyses such as detecting dental caries or periodontal disease, where more subtle changes need to be visualized.

Lowering the kVp, on the other hand, results in a shorter scale of contrast, producing more distinct black-and-white areas but less detail in intermediate densities. The mA settings influence the overall exposure and image brightness but do not directly relate to the contrast scale in the same way as kVp. Therefore, to achieve a long scale, adjusting the kVp to a higher