What is one benefit of increasing the filtration in an X-ray beam?

Increasing the filtration in an X-ray beam primarily serves to reduce the number of low-energy photons that contribute to the beam. Low-energy photons do not significantly contribute to image formation but do increase the patient's dose without providing diagnostic benefit. By filtering these low-energy photons out of the beam, the quality of the X-ray image is improved while simultaneously lowering the amount of unnecessary radiation exposure to the patient. This enhancement in beam quality also helps to improve the overall contrast and reduce the potential for scatter radiation that can further degrade image quality, although that is not the specific benefit outlined in this question.

The correct option highlights the importance of optimizing the X-ray beam to balance image quality and patient safety.