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Slice Views

The Slice Views section of the View tab controls display options for the three orthogonal 2D views: Right/Sagittal, Front/Coronal, and Top/Axial. These tools help navigate volumetric data and correlate positions across views.

3D Contours​

Display intersection contours where 3D objects cross the current slice plane. Contours provide visual correlation between 3D geometry and 2D slices.

Enabling Contours​

Click 3D Contours to access the dropdown menu:

OptionDescription
Mask(s) PreviewShow contours for mask 3D preview surfaces
Surface(s)Show contours for imported or generated surface models
Volume Mesh(es)Show contours for volume mesh objects

Each option toggles visibility for all objects of that type. The contour color matches the object's assigned color.

Use Cases​

  • Verify mask boundaries align with anatomical structures
  • Check surface model accuracy against the original image data
  • Validate volume mesh positioning
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Contours update automatically as you scroll through slices, providing real-time feedback on object placement.

Crosshair​

The crosshair displays reference lines indicating the position of the other two orthogonal slice planes. It helps maintain spatial orientation when navigating through the volume.

Enabling the Crosshair​

Click Crosshair in the ribbon to toggle visibility. When enabled, colored lines appear in each slice view:

  • The lines represent the intersection of the perpendicular slice planes
  • Colors correspond to the slice view colors (typically red, green, blue for Right/Sagittal, Front/Coronal, Top/Axial)

Setting the Crosshair Position​

ActionMethod
Click to set positionPress the middle mouse button in any slice view or the 3D view
Dynamic positioningHold Alt and move the mouse in a slice view

When you set a new crosshair position, all slice views update to show the corresponding location.

Crosshair in 3D View​

The crosshair also appears in the 3D view as three intersecting planes or lines (depending on slice plane visibility settings), showing the current position within the volume.

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Use the crosshair to quickly navigate to a point of interest. Click on a feature in one view, and the other views will display the corresponding slices.

Workflow: Navigating to a Specific Anatomical Location​

  1. Open the View tab and enable Crosshair in the Slice Views section
  2. Navigate to any slice view where you can see the structure of interest
  3. Press the middle mouse button on the structure
  4. The crosshair jumps to that location and all slice views update to show the corresponding position
  5. The 3D view (if visible) also updates to show the crosshair intersection

Workflow: Dynamic Crosshair Navigation​

  1. Enable Crosshair from the View tab
  2. Hold the Alt key on your keyboard
  3. Move the mouse over any slice view
  4. The crosshair follows the mouse cursor in real-time
  5. All views update continuously, allowing you to explore the volume interactively
  6. Release Alt to stop dynamic navigation

Window/Level​

Window/Level opens a dedicated control panel for adjusting image contrast and brightness. These settings control how intensity values are mapped to the visible grayscale or color range.

Understanding Window and Level​

  • Level – The center intensity value of the display range
  • Window – The width of the intensity range around the level

Intensities below (Level - Window/2) appear as the minimum display value (typically black).
Intensities above (Level + Window/2) appear as the maximum display value (typically white).

Window/Level Controls​

The panel provides:

ControlFunction
Preset dropdownSelect common window/level combinations
Window sliderAdjust the intensity range width
Level sliderAdjust the center intensity
Min/Max inputsDirectly set the range boundaries
AutoCalculate optimal values from image content
Full RangeDisplay the complete intensity range

Lookup Tables​

Select a lookup table (color map) to change how intensities are rendered:

  • Grayscale – Standard black-to-white mapping
  • Inverted – White-to-black mapping
  • Color maps – Apply false-color visualization (e.g., thermal, rainbow)

Lookup tables help highlight specific intensity ranges or improve visibility of certain structures.

Interactive Adjustment​

When the Window/Level panel is open, you can adjust values interactively in the slice views:

  • Drag horizontally to adjust window width
  • Drag vertically to adjust level

This provides immediate visual feedback as you tune the display.

note

Window/level settings affect visualization only. The underlying image data remains unchanged.

Workflow: Optimizing Window/Level for CT Bone Visualization​

  1. Open the View tab and click Window/Level in the Slice Views section
  2. The Window/Level Controls panel opens
  3. From the Presets dropdown, select Bones (Level: 500, Window: 1000)
  4. The slice views update immediately to show bone structures with optimal contrast
  5. Fine-tune using the sliders if needed

Workflow: Setting Custom Window/Level Values​

  1. Open Window/Level from the View tab
  2. Use the histogram sliders to set the minimum and maximum intensity values
  3. Alternatively, enter values directly in the Min and Max input fields
  4. Click Auto to calculate optimal values based on image content
  5. Click Full Range to display the entire intensity range

Workflow: Applying a Color Lookup Table​

  1. Open Window/Level from the View tab
  2. In the Lookup table section, click to expand the color map options
  3. Select a color map (e.g., thermal, rainbow, or custom)
  4. The slice views display intensities using the selected color mapping
  5. This is useful for highlighting specific intensity ranges or visualizing gradients

Common Window/Level Presets​

The following presets are available for CT data:

PresetLevelWindowUse Case
Bones5001000Skeletal structures
Lung-200500Pulmonary tissue
Liver30400Abdominal organs
Blood100600Vascular structures
Fat-130200Adipose tissue
Air-700600Airways and cavities

Voxel Information​

When Voxel Information is enabled, the status bar displays real-time data about the voxel under the mouse cursor:

InformationDescription
PositionX, Y, Z coordinates in physical units (typically mm)
IndexVoxel indices in the volume grid (i, j, k)
ValueIntensity or grayvalue at the cursor location

Enabling Voxel Information​

Click Voxel Information in the ribbon to toggle. When enabled:

  • Move the mouse over any slice view
  • The status bar updates continuously with current voxel data
  • Data clears when the mouse leaves the slice view or when the feature is disabled

Use Cases​

  • Verify intensity values for thresholding decisions
  • Check spatial coordinates for measurement validation
  • Inspect data quality in specific regions
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Combine Voxel Information with the crosshair to identify exact positions across all three orthogonal views.

Link Slice Views synchronizes camera operations across all three slice views. When enabled, panning or zooming in one view applies the same transformation to the others.

Behavior When Enabled​

ActionResult
Zoom in one viewAll views zoom by the same factor
Pan in one viewAll views pan by the same offset
Reset any viewAll views reset together

Behavior When Disabled​

Each slice view operates independently. Zooming or panning affects only the active view.

When to Use​

  • Enable when comparing features at the same scale across views
  • Enable when maintaining consistent magnification is important
  • Disable when you need different zoom levels for each view
  • Disable when focusing on one view while keeping others at overview scale
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Linked views share camera state but not slice position. Use the crosshair to synchronize slice positions.

Slice Navigation​

Although not in the Slice Views ribbon section, slice navigation is essential for 2D work:

ActionMethod
Scroll through slicesMouse wheel in a slice view
Jump to specific sliceUse crosshair or slice slider (if visible)
Reset to centerReset Slice Views in the Camera section