Which statement is true about matrix size and spatial resolution?

Which statement is true about matrix size and spatial resolution?

• A. Increasing matrix size decreases spatial resolution
• B. Increasing matrix size increases contrast
• C. Increasing matrix size reduces noise
• D. Increasing matrix size increases spatial resolution

Answer: (D)

Spatial resolution comes from how small the image elements, or voxels, are. If you keep the field of view the same and increase the matrix size, you divide that same area into more pixels, so each pixel covers a smaller region. That shrinks voxel size and lets you see finer details, which means higher spatial resolution. This change doesn’t inherently boost contrast, which depends on the intrinsic properties of the tissues and the imaging parameters that affect signal differences between tissues. It can also lower signal-to-noise per voxel because the same amount of signal is distributed across more voxels, and it may require longer acquisition times. So the statement about increasing matrix size leading to higher spatial resolution is the correct one.

Spatial resolution comes from how small the image elements, or voxels, are. If you keep the field of view the same and increase the matrix size, you divide that same area into more pixels, so each pixel covers a smaller region. That shrinks voxel size and lets you see finer details, which means higher spatial resolution.

This change doesn’t inherently boost contrast, which depends on the intrinsic properties of the tissues and the imaging parameters that affect signal differences between tissues. It can also lower signal-to-noise per voxel because the same amount of signal is distributed across more voxels, and it may require longer acquisition times. So the statement about increasing matrix size leading to higher spatial resolution is the correct one.