Question

Which of the following is a result of reducing the slice thickness to reduce partial volume effects?

1. increase appearance of noise
2. increased spatial resolution
3. decreased anatomical coverage with the same number of slices

Answer 1

Reducing slice thickness leads to an increased appearance of noise and increased spatial resolution, but also results in decreased anatomical coverage if the number of slices remains the same. These are trade-offs encountered in imaging techniques such as CT and MRI to achieve more precise images.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the slice thickness is reduced in order to minimize partial volume effects, several outcomes can be observed:

• Increased appearance of noise: Reducing slice thickness often leads to a higher noise level in the image because there are fewer photons contributing to the signal in each voxel.
• Increased spatial resolution: Thinner slices mean that the third dimension of the voxel (slice thickness) becomes smaller, thereby providing finer spatial detail within the volume represented by the image.
• Decreased anatomical coverage with the same number of slices: If you have a set number of slices but each slice is thinner, the total volume covered by these slices will be smaller, leading to reduced anatomical coverage.