In image processing, what does the term 'partial volume artifact' refer to?

Partial volume artifact occurs when a single voxel in a computed tomography (CT) image contains more than one type of tissue. This can lead to inaccuracies in the representation of tissue densities within that voxel. The averaging effect of multiple tissue types can result in misleading grayscale values, making it seem as though there is a different tissue density than what is truly present. This artifact is particularly apparent at the borders of structures with different densities, such as adipose tissue and muscle or bone.

When examining the other choices, motion errors during image capture pertain to blurring or ghosting effects rather than the averaging of density within a voxel. Data loss during transmission relates to issues in the transfer of information, which is not applicable in the context of how tissues blend at the voxel level. Lastly, inconsistent interpreted values from surrounding pixels do not encompass the fundamental issue of averaging multiple tissue types within a single voxel, which is the essence of partial volume artifact. Therefore, the choice correctly identifies the source of error related to variations in tissue density within a voxel leading to partial volume effects.