Final answer:
Increasing the window level of a CT image makes the image appear brighter and enhances the visualization of denser structures like bone, while potentially causing less dense areas to appear more washed out. It is important in enhancing the diagnostic quality and accuracy for medical conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Increasing the window level of a CT image will result in a change in the appearance of the image. This process involves adjusting the range of grayscale intensities that will be displayed on the image. The 'window level', also referred to as the 'level', sets the midpoint of the range of the grayscale values, thus determining what tissue densities will appear as the median gray in the image. On the other hand, the 'window width' controls the range of grays, or how many shades of gray will be displayed. As the window level is increased, the image will appear brighter, making it easier to visualize denser structures like bone, whereas decreasing the window level will make the image appear darker, enhancing the visualization of less dense structures such as soft tissues.
Therefore, when the window level is increased, the brightness of denser areas in the scan is raised, making these areas more distinguishable, but potentially causing less dense areas to appear more washed out. This is crucial in the medical field for enhancing the diagnostic quality of the images and facilitating the accurate diagnosis of medical conditions. It is important for medical professionals to understand and properly adjust these settings to ensure optimal visualization of the targeted anatomy or pathology.