An active dose radiation device and method decreases the amount of x-rays which may be generated by an x-ray tube following termination of the x-ray exposure. One component of the x-ray system is connected to the device which has a plurality of electronic cells that can be overvoltaged from a first state, where they are less conductive, to a second state, where they are highly conductive. A voltage pulse generator overvoltages a first cell in the plurality of cells at termination of an x-ray exposure. Overvoltaging the first cell causes a cascading effect which eventually overvoltages all of the cells and changes the state of the cells from the first less conductive state to the second highly conductive state. In the second highly conductive state, the cells can conduct current from at least one component of the x-ray system to ground thereby reducing x-rays generated by the x-ray tube and reducing the x-ray dosage from the imaging system after the x-ray exposure has been completed. The plurality of cells automatically reverts to the first state once current passing through the cells decreases below a threshold current level. The plurality of cells are connected to only the anode side 26 or the cathode side 38 of the x-ray imaging device in order to discharge energy from only one side to ground which results in a sufficient decrease in the voltage across the x-ray tube to prevent generation of active dosage of x-rays which may penetrate the patient.