What can cause excessively dark radiographs?

Excessively dark radiographs are primarily caused by excessive kilovoltage power. When the kilovoltage is set too high, it increases the energy of the x-ray beam, leading to more penetrating radiation. This results in a higher number of photons reaching the film or digital detector, which in turn causes overexposure. As a consequence, the radiographs appear darker than intended, as the increased exposure leads to a loss of detail and contrast.

Improper positioning of the x-ray beam may lead to distortions or missed anatomical structures, but not to excessive darkness in the radiographs. Insufficient exposure time typically results in underexposed images, which would appear light rather than dark. Using expired film may degrade the quality of the radiograph, but it doesn't inherently cause an excessively dark image; instead, it could produce images that are less clear or have unusual appearances due to chemical deterioration.