Ratio of signal intensity to noise; higher signal to noise ratio indicates better image quality
Expansion
Signal to Noise Ratio
Purpose
Increased by longer acquisitions, larger voxels, higher field strength
Clinical Context
Signal to noise ratio increased by longer repetition time, more excitations, larger voxels, higher field strength. Trade-off: longer repetition time increases acquisition time.
Related Terms
- Contrast to noise ratio
- Image quality
Key Points
- Higher signal to noise ratio equals better image quality; trade-off with spatial resolution and acquisition time