What can dead pixels in an imaging system appear as?

Dead pixels in an imaging system result from pixel elements that are not functioning properly, meaning they do not respond to incoming light or radiation. When these pixels fail, they typically either do not register any light at all or register light at an information loss, leading them to appear as either white, where they do not detect any signal, or black, where they are completely unresponsive.

This phenomenon contrasts with other types of pixel anomalies, such as stuck pixels, which can exhibit colors like red or blue due to misfiring in neighboring processing elements rather than complete failure. Therefore, the characteristic appearance of dead pixels is most commonly associated with being either white or black, confirming the accuracy of this choice.