To effectively reduce total radiation exposure to the patient, what should be minimized according to the article?

Minimizing exposure time is crucial for reducing total radiation exposure to a patient because the amount of radiation a patient receives is directly proportional to the duration of exposure. Essentially, the longer the exposure time, the greater the cumulative dose of radiation that the patient experiences. By reducing the time the patient is exposed to the radiation source, the overall dose can be significantly lowered, thereby enhancing patient safety and minimizing potential risks associated with radiation exposure.

While radiation strength, distance from the source, and collimation are important factors in controlling radiation exposure, they do not specifically address the duration of exposure itself. Radiation strength (the intensity of the beam), distance (the inverse square law states that radiation intensity decreases with distance), and collimation (restricting the x-ray beam to the area of interest) all contribute to reducing exposure, but the most direct method of controlling dose is to limit the time the patient is in the path of the radiation.