What Is Kilovoltage peak (kVp)?
KVp stands for kilovoltage peak, which is one of the exposure factors used in radiology. It refers to the maximum voltage applied to the X-ray tube during an X-ray procedure.
When KVp is increased, it results in the production of X-rays with higher energy levels. Higher energy X-rays can penetrate through denser tissues more easily, resulting in a clearer and more detailed image. This is particularly useful in imaging procedures that require visualization of bony structures, such as radiography of the chest, abdomen or bones.
However, a higher KVp also means that the radiation dose delivered to the patient is increased, which can potentially increase the risk of radiation-induced damage to healthy cells. Therefore, the KVp is usually set as low as possible while still obtaining the necessary image quality to minimize radiation exposure to the patient.
What is the formula of kVp?
kVp stands for kilovolt peak, which is a unit of measurement used in X-ray imaging to describe the voltage used to accelerate electrons across the X-ray tube. The formula for kVp is:
kVp = energy of each photon / electron charge
where “energy of each photon” is the energy level of the X-ray photons being produced in kiloelectronvolts (keV), and “electron charge” is the elementary charge of an electron, which is approximately 1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs.
The kVp setting is an important parameter in X-ray imaging, as it determines the energy level of the X-ray photons being produced. Higher kVp settings result in X-ray photons with higher energy levels, which can penetrate more deeply into the patient’s body and produce clearer images of thicker body parts. However, higher kVp settings also increase the radiation dose to the patient.
Radiologic technologists adjust the kVp setting based on the patient’s size, the body part being imaged, and other factors to optimize the image quality while minimizing the radiation dose to the patient.
