Explain the term "frame averaging" in fluoroscopy.

Frame averaging in fluoroscopy refers to the technique of enhancing image quality by combining or averaging multiple frames of data. This method takes advantage of the multiple exposures captured during a fluoroscopic procedure to create a single image that has improved clarity and detail. By averaging these frames, random noise is reduced, which can enhance the visibility of structures and details that might be obscured in a single frame due to this interference.

This approach is particularly beneficial in situations where images are captured in real-time and dynamic movement can complicate image clarity. By synthesizing the information from multiple frames, frame averaging contributes to clearer and more diagnostic images, which can improve the overall effectiveness of the fluoroscopic examination.

The other options relate to different aspects of imaging but do not accurately describe frame averaging. For instance, adjusting brightness or enhancing contrast deals more with image processing techniques that do not specifically involve averaging multiple frames. Similarly, while reducing patient exposure time is a critical aspect of fluoroscopic imaging, it does not pertain to the technique of frame averaging itself. Finally, image compression for storage is a separate process that focuses on file size and storage efficiency, rather than on the quality enhancement achieved through averaging frames.