What does longitudinal resolution refer to in computed tomography?

Longitudinal resolution in computed tomography refers specifically to the ability of the imaging system to distinguish between small structures that are positioned along the axis of the scanning—the Z direction. This is vital for accurately representing depth or height, which is particularly important when imaging structures such as blood vessels, tumors, or other anatomical features that may have varying depths within the body.

A key aspect of longitudinal resolution involves the slice thickness, which can influence the clarity and detail of structures that are stacked along the z-axis. The thinner the slice, the better the system can differentiate between closely situated anatomical features in that dimension. In clinical practice, an understanding of longitudinal resolution is essential for optimizing image quality and ensuring accurate diagnoses.