What would likely happen if a patient is not properly positioned during an X-ray procedure?

When a patient is not properly positioned during an X-ray procedure, it is likely to lead to repeated exposures. Proper positioning is crucial to ensure that the anatomical area of interest is adequately imaged and that the images are of high diagnostic quality. If the patient is misaligned, the resulting images may not have the appropriate anatomy visible or may have overlapping structures that obscure critical details. Radiologists rely on clear and accurate images for diagnosis, and if the initial exposure does not meet these standards, additional images must be taken to obtain a suitable result. This not only wastes time but increases the patient's exposure to radiation, which is another critical aspect to consider in radiographic practice.

The other choices describe various scenarios that are not directly related to the consequences of poor patient positioning. For example, while improper imaging can lead to poor quality images, it is not directly tied to the image being too dark, the exposure time automatically decreasing, or patient discomfort as primary outcomes. Each of those issues may arise from different aspects of the imaging process or equipment settings rather than from positioning specifically.