Image Viewer > Advanced Viewing

This is a premium feature and may not be available in all installations.

The 3D Projection feature allows users to visualize a stack of source images in 3D by orthogonally projecting the volume on to the image plane and displaying only the maximum (or minimum) valued voxel. The result is an image that appears semi-transparent, showing the structures of highest density or concentration of activity.

Note

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3D Projection works best when the spacing between consecutive slices is comparable to the pixel spacing of the images. Some imaging acquisitions (e.g. Breast Tomosynthesis) have a very fine resolution within the imaging plane, but a significantly coarser spacing between consecutive slices. Such images are poorly suited for 3D Projection, as the difference between the voxel spacing dimensions introduces significant interpolation artifacts into the projected image when viewed under arbitrary orientations. For such images, consider using 2D Fast Projection instead, which is a full depth "slab" projection available only in the original orientation of the image, thus avoiding the 3D interpolation artifacts.

Switching to 3D Projection

To activate 3D Projection on the selected series, select the desired mode from the context menu, or from the 3D drop down on the toolbar. The 3D projection will replace the original series in the layout.

Rotating in 3D

To rotate the projection, select the Rotate 3D tool from the context menu or from the toolbar, and drag around on the projection. Alternatively, you can use the drop-down menu on the Rotate 3D tool to select a standard orientation.

Technical Notes

•	When you are actively rotating the projection, the viewer will switch to a low quality rendering in order to increase the performance of rotation. When you stop manipulating the projection, the viewer will automatically switch to full quality rendering.

Limitations

There are a few limitations to the current implementation of 3D Projection, and we hope to eliminate these in a future version.

•	Currently does not support horizontally gantry tilted overlaying images.