What is one of the effects of improper patient positioning during fluoroscopy?

Improper patient positioning during fluoroscopy can lead to an increased patient dose, primarily because misalignment may necessitate the use of higher radiation exposure to achieve adequate imaging quality. When a patient is not positioned correctly, the fluoroscopic equipment may have to compensate for the misalignment, which can result in the use of more radiation than would typically be necessary for a properly positioned patient.

Optimally, proper patient positioning allows for the best possible image quality with the lowest radiation dose. When the positioning is suboptimal, healthcare providers might need to repeat certain images or utilize increased exposure settings, directly affecting the dose received by the patient.

In contrast, the other choices reflect outcomes that are not typically associated with poor positioning. Improved image resolution generally occurs with optimal positioning, while reduced screening time is expected with correct anatomy alignment. Additionally, improper positioning usually necessitates more care regarding the shielding of the patient from unnecessary radiation, thus increasing the need for protective measures, rather than decreasing it.