What factor primarily influences spatial resolution in a flat panel detector system?

The primary factor influencing spatial resolution in a flat panel detector system is the size of the detector plate element. Spatial resolution refers to the ability of an imaging system to distinguish between small details. In flat panel detectors, each element or pixel captures and conveys a specific portion of the image data.

When the size of the detector plate element is smaller, it can sample finer details in the image, leading to improved spatial resolution. This means that more pixels are available to capture information in a given area, resulting in a more detailed representation. Conversely, larger detector elements would result in a lower number of pixels available for image capture, degrading the spatial resolution and potentially blurring the finer details.

While other factors, such as the thickness of the detector plate, the type of imaging software, and exposure time, can impact image quality and overall performance of the detector, they do not have as direct a correlation with spatial resolution as the size of the detector plate element does.