HESI Radiography Test 1 Questions and Correct
Answers Graded A+| Latest Update 2026
HESI Radiography Test 1: Practice Questions
Latest Update 2026 | Verified Answers with Explanations
1. Which is the most likely cause of a histogram error?
A. Underexposure of the image receptor
B. Selection of an incorrect exam from the look-up table
C. Malfunction of the plate reader electronics
D. Incomplete erasure of the image plate
Correct Answer: B. Selection of an incorrect exam from the look-up table.
Explanation = A histogram error, which results in improper image brightness and
contrast, occurs when the radiographer selects an incorrect exam (anatomical
structure, position and projection) from the look-up table before the image plate is
scanned .
2. Which part of the x-ray circuit is controlled by adjusting the milliamperage
(mA) setting on the operating console for the purpose of producing the heat
necessary for thermionic emission?
A. Timer circuit
B. Primary circuit
C. Filament circuit
D. Secondary circuit
Correct Answer: C. Filament circuit.
Explanation = The filament circuit controls the amount of heat applied to the
filament that is required to boil off the desired number of electrons by the process
,of thermionic emission; the amount of current that is applied to the filament is
under the control of the radiographer when the mA station is selected .
3. Which device temporarily stores an electric charge?
A. Rectifier
B. Diode
C. Capacitor
D. Autotransformer
Correct Answer: C. Capacitor.
Explanation = A capacitor temporarily stores an electric charge .
4. What is the result if pixel bit depth is decreased?
A. Brightness is increased
B. Spatial resolution is increased
C. Image noise is decreased
D. Contrast resolution is decreased
Correct Answer: D. Contrast resolution is decreased.
Explanation = Pixel depth determines how many shades of gray will be displayed
so is directly related to contrast resolution. Pixel size and matrix size determine
spatial resolution .
5. What is the purpose of reviewing the exposure indicator (EI) with each
image?
A. Determine exposure to the image receptor (IR) and assure acceptable image
quality for the radiologist
B. Determine if the technologist selected the correct exposure factors
C. Determine if the patient received the appropriate dose
D. Determine if the equipment is calibrated correctly
Correct Answer: A. Determine exposure to the image receptor (IR) and assure
acceptable image quality for the radiologist.
Explanation = Exposure indicator is a numeric value assigned by the digital system
,manufacturer that indicates exposure to the image receptor. Exposure indicator
must be reviewed with every image and must fall within the manufacturer's
acceptable range to assure proper image quality when viewed by the radiologist .
6. How does the Density log Exposure (D log E) curve appear for a digital
imaging receptor (IR)?
A. A shallow slope
B. A straight line at a 45-degree angle
C. An S curve
D. A steep slope
Correct Answer: B. A straight line at a 45-degree angle.
*Explanation = D log E curves for digital imaging demonstrate the wide dynamic
range of the image receptor as a straight line at a 45-degree angle .*
7. What do limiting spatial resolution (LSR) and modulation transfer function
(MTF) have in common?
A. They both measure spatial resolution in digital imaging
B. They measure how efficiently an image is moved to the picture archiving and
communication system (PACS)
C. They both affect brightness of the digital image
D. They are both indicators of exposure for digital receptors
Correct Answer: A. They both measure spatial resolution in digital imaging.
Explanation = LSR and MTF are measures of how accurately anatomy is
reproduced in a digital image or measures of spatial resolution .
8. What is the term for the adjustment of image brightness, regardless of
exposure received?
A. Detective quantum efficiency (DQE)
B. Automatic brightness control (ABC)
C. Rescaling
D. Dose area product (DAP)
, Correct Answer: C. Rescaling.
Explanation = Rescaling is the adjustment of digital data to a preset brightness
depending on the body part selected .
9. Why should computed radiography (CR) image receptors (IR) be erased if they
haven't been used?
A. Ensure dropout artifacts do not occur
B. Eliminate phantom artifacts
C. Remove fog from background radiation
D. Remove the ghost image from the previous exam
Correct Answer: C. Remove fog from background radiation.
Explanation = IRs can build up background radiation from radionuclides that may
be present in the environment or from scatter radiation if left lying near the x-ray
table. The IR can be erased at any time to remove this background fog .
10. How does decreasing field size affect the production of scatter radiation?
A. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation that reaches the IR
B. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation produced within the part
C. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation within the part
D. Decrease in the amount of scatter radiation within the part
Correct Answer: D. Decrease in the amount of scatter radiation within the part.
Explanation = Reducing the size of the field limits the amount of scatter produced.
Increasing field size increases the amount of scatter .
11. Which pathologic condition requires a reduction in exposure factors to
produce an acceptable image?
A. Emphysema
B. Late stage Paget's disease
C. Congestive heart failure
D. Atelectasis
Answers Graded A+| Latest Update 2026
HESI Radiography Test 1: Practice Questions
Latest Update 2026 | Verified Answers with Explanations
1. Which is the most likely cause of a histogram error?
A. Underexposure of the image receptor
B. Selection of an incorrect exam from the look-up table
C. Malfunction of the plate reader electronics
D. Incomplete erasure of the image plate
Correct Answer: B. Selection of an incorrect exam from the look-up table.
Explanation = A histogram error, which results in improper image brightness and
contrast, occurs when the radiographer selects an incorrect exam (anatomical
structure, position and projection) from the look-up table before the image plate is
scanned .
2. Which part of the x-ray circuit is controlled by adjusting the milliamperage
(mA) setting on the operating console for the purpose of producing the heat
necessary for thermionic emission?
A. Timer circuit
B. Primary circuit
C. Filament circuit
D. Secondary circuit
Correct Answer: C. Filament circuit.
Explanation = The filament circuit controls the amount of heat applied to the
filament that is required to boil off the desired number of electrons by the process
,of thermionic emission; the amount of current that is applied to the filament is
under the control of the radiographer when the mA station is selected .
3. Which device temporarily stores an electric charge?
A. Rectifier
B. Diode
C. Capacitor
D. Autotransformer
Correct Answer: C. Capacitor.
Explanation = A capacitor temporarily stores an electric charge .
4. What is the result if pixel bit depth is decreased?
A. Brightness is increased
B. Spatial resolution is increased
C. Image noise is decreased
D. Contrast resolution is decreased
Correct Answer: D. Contrast resolution is decreased.
Explanation = Pixel depth determines how many shades of gray will be displayed
so is directly related to contrast resolution. Pixel size and matrix size determine
spatial resolution .
5. What is the purpose of reviewing the exposure indicator (EI) with each
image?
A. Determine exposure to the image receptor (IR) and assure acceptable image
quality for the radiologist
B. Determine if the technologist selected the correct exposure factors
C. Determine if the patient received the appropriate dose
D. Determine if the equipment is calibrated correctly
Correct Answer: A. Determine exposure to the image receptor (IR) and assure
acceptable image quality for the radiologist.
Explanation = Exposure indicator is a numeric value assigned by the digital system
,manufacturer that indicates exposure to the image receptor. Exposure indicator
must be reviewed with every image and must fall within the manufacturer's
acceptable range to assure proper image quality when viewed by the radiologist .
6. How does the Density log Exposure (D log E) curve appear for a digital
imaging receptor (IR)?
A. A shallow slope
B. A straight line at a 45-degree angle
C. An S curve
D. A steep slope
Correct Answer: B. A straight line at a 45-degree angle.
*Explanation = D log E curves for digital imaging demonstrate the wide dynamic
range of the image receptor as a straight line at a 45-degree angle .*
7. What do limiting spatial resolution (LSR) and modulation transfer function
(MTF) have in common?
A. They both measure spatial resolution in digital imaging
B. They measure how efficiently an image is moved to the picture archiving and
communication system (PACS)
C. They both affect brightness of the digital image
D. They are both indicators of exposure for digital receptors
Correct Answer: A. They both measure spatial resolution in digital imaging.
Explanation = LSR and MTF are measures of how accurately anatomy is
reproduced in a digital image or measures of spatial resolution .
8. What is the term for the adjustment of image brightness, regardless of
exposure received?
A. Detective quantum efficiency (DQE)
B. Automatic brightness control (ABC)
C. Rescaling
D. Dose area product (DAP)
, Correct Answer: C. Rescaling.
Explanation = Rescaling is the adjustment of digital data to a preset brightness
depending on the body part selected .
9. Why should computed radiography (CR) image receptors (IR) be erased if they
haven't been used?
A. Ensure dropout artifacts do not occur
B. Eliminate phantom artifacts
C. Remove fog from background radiation
D. Remove the ghost image from the previous exam
Correct Answer: C. Remove fog from background radiation.
Explanation = IRs can build up background radiation from radionuclides that may
be present in the environment or from scatter radiation if left lying near the x-ray
table. The IR can be erased at any time to remove this background fog .
10. How does decreasing field size affect the production of scatter radiation?
A. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation that reaches the IR
B. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation produced within the part
C. Increase in the amount of scatter radiation within the part
D. Decrease in the amount of scatter radiation within the part
Correct Answer: D. Decrease in the amount of scatter radiation within the part.
Explanation = Reducing the size of the field limits the amount of scatter produced.
Increasing field size increases the amount of scatter .
11. Which pathologic condition requires a reduction in exposure factors to
produce an acceptable image?
A. Emphysema
B. Late stage Paget's disease
C. Congestive heart failure
D. Atelectasis
