Identify a method to minimize patient dose during radiography.

Using the lowest effective kilovolt peak (kVp) and milliamperes per second (mAs) is a method that effectively minimizes patient dose during radiography. This approach is grounded in the principles of radiographic technique, where increasing these settings generally enhances image quality but also raises the radiation exposure to the patient.

By opting for the lowest effective kVp, radiographers can produce an image that maintains acceptable quality while ensuring that the radiation dose is kept to a minimum. This is because lower kVp values reduce the penetration of X-rays, meaning fewer photons are needed to create an image that meets diagnostic needs.

Similarly, minimizing the mAs reduces the overall amount of radiation delivered to the patient during the imaging process. Each aspect of these settings should be carefully balanced with the necessity to obtain a diagnostic-quality image, taking into account factors such as the patient's body habitus and the anatomy being imaged.

Other methods, like using lead shielding, are indeed essential tools for protecting parts of the patient not being imaged from unnecessary exposure and for enhancing patient safety. However, the direct manipulation of kVp and mAs settings allows for a more precise control of the radiation dose. Limiting the number of images taken can also decrease exposure but does not