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Slice Analyzer

The Slice Analyzer tool visualizes the gray value distribution of a specific slice within a volume dataset by plotting the grayscale values as a 3D surface. This technique helps identify intensity variations, gradients, and anomalies that may not be apparent in standard 2D slice views.

Accessing the Tool​

  1. Navigate to the Measure tab in the ribbon
  2. Click the Slice Analyzer button in the Analysis section

Overview​

Analyze the gray value distribution of a specific slice within the active volume object by plotting the gray values as a 3D surface. Visualize the results using false-color coding to enhance interpretability.

Prerequisites

An active volume dataset must be loaded and at least one slice must be visible.

User Interface​

Analysis Settings​

ControlDescription
Slice viewSelect the orientation of the slice to analyze
Scale factorAdjust the vertical scaling of the 3D surface (0.001–1.0, default: 0.25)

Slice View Options​

OptionDescription
Plane 1 (YZ)Sagittal plane
Plane 2 (XZ)Coronal plane
Plane 3 (XY)Axial plane

Scale Factor​

The scale factor adjusts the vertical scaling of the 3D surface to enhance visualization of intensity variations. This ensures that subtle differences in gray values are clearly represented.

  • Lower values (closer to 0.001) flatten the surface
  • Higher values (closer to 1.0) exaggerate height differences
Scale Factor Adjustment

Start with the default value of 0.25 and adjust based on your data:

  • For high-contrast images, use lower scale factors
  • For low-contrast or subtle variations, increase the scale factor
  • Experiment to find the best visualization for your specific dataset

Information Table​

Displays computed statistics for the current slice:

StatisticDescription
MinimumLowest gray value
MaximumHighest gray value
MeanAverage gray value
DimensionsSlice pixel dimensions

Visualization Options​

Range Adjustment​

Use the range slider to adjust the display range for false-color mapping. This allows focusing on specific intensity ranges.

Display Checkboxes​

OptionDescription
Show max. gray valueDisplay annotation at the maximum gray value point
Show min. gray valueDisplay annotation at the minimum gray value point
Pick point on surfaceEnable clicking on the surface to show gray values
Show sliceToggle visibility of the 3D surface
Reverse rainbowReverse the color mapping direction

Workflow​

Basic Slice Analysis​

  1. Open a volume dataset
  2. Navigate to the slice of interest using the slice sliders
  3. Open the Slice Analyzer tool
  4. Select the slice view orientation (Plane 1, 2, or 3)
  5. Click Update to generate the 3D surface visualization
  6. Adjust the scale factor to enhance visibility of variations

Identify Extrema​

  1. Generate the 3D surface
  2. Enable Show max. gray value and/or Show min. gray value
  3. View annotations indicating the location and value of extrema

Interactive Point Inspection​

  1. Enable Pick point on surface to show gray value
  2. Click on any point on the 3D surface
  3. View the gray value at that location
  4. Use Copy to Measurements to save annotations

Use Cases​

Quality Control​

Identify intensity variations or artifacts in CT/MRI data that may indicate issues with acquisition or reconstruction.

Material Analysis​

Visualize density gradients in industrial CT scans to identify material boundaries, voids, or inclusions.

Image Processing Validation​

Verify the effects of filtering or preprocessing operations by comparing surface visualizations before and after processing.

Defect Detection​

Highlight subtle intensity differences that may indicate defects, cracks, or other anomalies.

Toolbar​

ButtonDescription
Export...Export analysis results to disk
UpdateRecalculate the 3D surface with current settings
Copy to MeasurementsCopy visible gray value annotations to the Measurements panel