To restrict the x-ray beam in radiography means the same as to:

• A. A filter
• B. B collimate
• C. C attenuate
• D. D preserve

Answer: (B)

Restricting the x-ray beam is about shaping and limiting the radiation field to the anatomy of interest, which is achieved with collimation. By narrowing the field, you lower patient skin dose and reduce scatter that can degrade image contrast, helping produce a clearer image of the area being examined. Collimation uses adjustable diaphragms or a light-localizing field to define the exact X-ray field. Filtration changes the beam’s energy spectrum by absorbing low-energy photons, lowering dose but not changing the field size. Attenuation describes how the beam’s intensity decreases as it passes through matter, not how the beam is shaped. Preserve isn’t relevant here. So, the best term for restricting the beam is collimation.