What intervention may lead to an increased radiation dose for patients during radiography?

Placing the shadow shield in contact with the gonads can lead to an increased radiation dose for patients during radiography because it may necessitate a higher radiation exposure to ensure that the desired area of interest is adequately imaged. While shadow shields are intended to protect sensitive areas such as the gonads from radiation, improper placement or contact with the skin can interfere with the imaging technique, potentially compromising the quality of the diagnostic image. This can cause the radiologic technologist to adjust the machine settings, which might inadvertently lead to an increased radiation dose in order to compensate for loss of image clarity, ultimately resulting in more exposure.

The other options focus on protective measures or techniques which generally aim to minimize radiation exposure rather than increase it. For instance, using a lead apron provides a barrier against scatter radiation, administering medication is unrelated to direct radiation exposure, and reducing the exposure time typically decreases the patient's radiation dose.