Which phantom is generally used to test spatial resolution in imaging?

The bar phantom is the appropriate choice for testing spatial resolution in imaging because it is specifically designed to evaluate the ability of an imaging system to resolve fine details. Bar phantoms consist of a series of parallel lines or bars of varying widths that help determine the smallest detail or feature that can be clearly imaged, which is crucial for assessing the spatial resolution.

When an imaging system can discern the individual lines of a bar pattern, it indicates a high level of spatial resolution, allowing technicians to understand how well the system can depict the structure of the objects being imaged. This phantom is widely used because it provides clear quantitative metrics on the system's performance regarding spatial discrimination.

Other phantoms serve different purposes. For instance, the Jaszczak phantom is primarily used for evaluating the calibration and performance of tomographic systems rather than specifically assessing spatial resolution. The uniformity phantom is designed to test the consistency of image quality across the entire field of view, while the SPECT phantom is particularly tailored for specific applications in single-photon emission computed tomography, focusing on a range of different performance metrics beyond just spatial resolution.