When speed class decreases, what happens to patient dose?

When the speed class decreases, the patient dose generally increases. The speed class refers to the sensitivity of the imaging system to radiation. A higher speed class means that the system can produce diagnostic-quality images with less radiation exposure to the patient. Conversely, when the speed class decreases, the system is less sensitive to radiation, requiring more exposure to achieve the same quality of image. As a result, the amount of radiation that the patient receives increases in order to compensate for the decreased efficiency of the imaging system. This relationship is crucial for understanding how imaging parameters can affect patient safety and radiation exposure in medical imaging practices.