During a fluoroscopy procedure, what adjustment can reduce image noise?

The choice to decrease the Source to Image Distance (SID) is correct for reducing image noise during a fluoroscopy procedure because it directly affects the amount of radiation that reaches the image receptor. When SID is decreased, the intensity of radiation received by the image receptor increases, which can lead to higher image quality and lower noise levels. This is based on the inverse square law, which states that the intensity of radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. Therefore, by reducing the distance, you effectively increase the amount of radiation per unit area on the receptor, resulting in a clearer image with less graininess or noise.

In terms of the other options, increasing exposure time may increase the overall dose to the patient without necessarily reducing noise effectively, and lowering the patient’s dose could further degrade image quality instead of improving it. Changing the imaging software settings may help optimize image processing but does not have the direct and immediate impact on noise reduction as adjusting the SID does. Overall, decreasing the SID is a fundamental technique used to improve image clarity in fluoroscopic procedures.