What benefit comes from decreasing slice thickness?

Decreasing slice thickness in MRI offers the benefit of increased spatial resolution. When slice thickness is reduced, the MRI system can delineate smaller structures more clearly and accurately. This improvement occurs because thinner slices reduce the amount of overlapping tissue, thereby minimizing partial volume effects where different tissues may blend together in the image. As a result, finer details within the anatomy become more discernible, allowing for enhanced visualization of small lesions or subtle anatomical structures essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

The other options lack this advantageous relationship: increasing slice thickness typically leads to lower spatial resolution and can cause a greater mix of information from adjacent tissues, thereby decreasing clarity. While decreasing slice thickness does not inherently increase coverage of anatomy or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it helps focus on a smaller area with greater detail.