(PSF) The point spread function describes the response of an imaging system to a point or impulse input. A hypothetical point object will generally have an extended (blurred) image resulting from the imaging process; this is the point spread function characterizing the imaging process. Considering any object as composed of an assembly of point objects, knowledge of the PSF permits the prediction of how the object will be imaged, assuming linearity of the imaging process.

See also Resolution, Phantom and Daily Quality Assurance.

Conversion of the analog signal to a series of digital values by measurement at a set of particular times; this utilizes the analog to digital converter. If the rate of sampling is less than twice the highest frequency in the signal, aliasing will occur. The duration of sampling determines how small a difference of frequencies can be separated.

See also Algorithm, Trigonometric Functions, Digitization, Exponential Functions, Imaginary Number, Logarithms, Point Spread Function.