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Getting Started with Volvicon

This tutorial introduces the Volvicon application and walks you through opening your first dataset. By the end, you will understand the workspace layout, know how to load volumetric data, and be ready to explore processing and analysis tools.

Estimated time: 15 minutes

Prerequisites:

  • Volvicon installed and licensed (see License Guide)
  • A volumetric dataset (DICOM, NIfTI, NRRD, or image stack)
Python packages included

The Volvicon Python scripting environment includes support for NumPy, SciPy, Pillow, matplotlib, and pandas. You can start scripting immediately with no additional setup required. See the Batch Processing & Automation tutorial for practical examples and ready-to-run scripts.

Launching Volvicon​

  1. Locate Volvicon in your Start Menu or desktop shortcuts.
  2. Double-click to launch the application.
  3. The main window opens with the Home screen displayed.

The Home screen provides quick access to:

  • Recent Projects — Previously opened projects for quick resumption
  • Recent Folders — Directories you have accessed recently
  • Learning Resources — Links to documentation and tutorials
  • News — Updates and announcements
First Launch

On first launch, the Home screen will be empty. After working with projects, your recent items will appear here for convenient access.

Understanding the Workspace​

The Volvicon workspace consists of several key areas:

Ribbon Interface​

The Ribbon at the top of the window organizes tools into tabs:

TabPurpose
FileProject management, import/export, preferences
ViewLayouts, slice view options, 3D rendering controls
ImageVolume processing and transformation tools
SegmentationMask creation and editing tools
SurfaceTriangle mesh operations
Volume MeshTetrahedral mesh tools for simulation
MeasureMeasurements, statistics, and primitives
AnalyzeQuantitative analysis tools
AdvancedScripting and AI segmentation
FavoriteCustomizable toolbar for frequently used tools
HelpDocumentation, updates, and license management

Click any tab to access its tools. The ribbon adapts based on your current selection and loaded data.

View Area​

The central area displays your data through multiple views:

  • 3D View — Interactive three-dimensional visualization
  • Axial (Top) View — Horizontal cross-sections
  • Coronal (Front) View — Frontal cross-sections
  • Sagittal (Right) View — Side cross-sections

The default Conventional layout shows all four views simultaneously. You can change layouts from the View tab.

Object Browser​

The Object Browser panel (typically on the right side) lists all objects in your project:

  • Volumes (3D image data)
  • Masks (segmentation results)
  • Surfaces (triangle meshes)
  • Volume Meshes (tetrahedral meshes)
  • Measurements and Primitives

Click an object to select it; double-click to rename. Use the visibility icons to show or hide objects in the views.

Properties Panel​

When an object is selected, the Properties panel displays its attributes:

  • Dimensions, origin, and spacing
  • Object-specific parameters
  • Other object's settings

Creating Your First Project​

Step 1: Open the New Project Dialog​

  1. Click the File tab to open the backstage view.
  2. Select New from the left navigation panel.
  3. Choose the appropriate data source for your files.

Step 2: Select Your Data Source​

Volvicon supports multiple data formats:

SourceUse When
DICOMLoading medical imaging data (CT, MRI, PET)
3D ImagesOpening structured volume files (MHD, NIfTI, NRRD)
3D Raw ImagesLoading raw binary data (requires dimension specification)
Image StackCombining ordered 2D images (BMP, JPG, PNG, TIF) into a volume
Surface CAD/STL ModelImporting triangle meshes (STL, PLY, OBJ, IGES, STEP)
Volume MeshLoading tetrahedral meshes for simulation

For this tutorial, we will use the DICOM or 3D Images option.

Step 3: Load DICOM Data​

If you have DICOM files:

  1. Click DICOM in the New panel.
  2. Navigate to the folder containing your DICOM files.
  3. Volvicon scans the folder and displays found series.
  4. Select the series you want to load.
  5. Click Load to create the project.
DICOM Organization

DICOM data often contains multiple series (e.g., different scan phases or reconstructions). Review the series descriptions to select the appropriate dataset.

Step 4: Load 3D Image Files​

If you have NIfTI, NRRD, or MHD files:

  1. Click 3D Images in the New panel.
  2. Navigate to your file location.
  3. Select the volume file.
  4. Click Open to load the data.

The volume loads and displays in all views automatically.

Exploring Your Data​

With data loaded, take a moment to explore the views:

In any 2D slice view:

ActionMouse/Keyboard
Scroll through slicesMouse wheel
Pan the viewMiddle-click + drag
Zoom in/outRight-click + drag
Reset viewPress R

In the 3D view:

ActionMouse/Keyboard
RotateLeft-click + drag
PanMiddle-click + drag
ZoomMouse wheel or Right-click + drag
Reset viewPress R

Adjusting Window/Level (Contrast)​

The window/level settings control how intensity values map to displayed brightness:

  1. Navigate to the View tab.

  2. Click Window/Level in the Slice Views section.

  3. The Window/Level panel opens with:

    • Presets for common tissue types
    • Window slider (contrast range)
    • Level slider (brightness center)
    • Lookup Tables for color mapping

  4. Drag the sliders or select a preset to optimize visualization.

Quick Adjustment

In slice views, drag the mouse:

  • Horizontal movement adjusts Window (contrast)
  • Vertical movement adjusts Level (brightness)

Saving Your Project​

After loading and configuring your data:

  1. Click the File tab.
  2. Select Save As.
  3. Choose a location and enter a project name.
  4. Click Save.

Volvicon projects are saved as .vvcx files containing all scene objects and settings.

Save Frequently

Complex analysis sessions should be saved regularly. Use Ctrl + S for quick saves to the current project file.

Understanding the Project Structure​

A Volvicon project can contain multiple objects:

Project.vvcx
├── Volumes (grayscale 3D images)
│   └── CT_Head (512 × 512 × 300)
├── Masks (binary/label segmentations)
│   └── Bone_Mask
├── Surfaces (triangle meshes)
│   └── Skull_Surface
├── Volume Meshes (tetrahedral meshes)
└── Measurements
    └── Distance_1

Objects can reference each other—for example, a mask is typically created from a volume, and a surface is generated from a mask.

Workflow Summary​

The typical Volvicon workflow follows this pattern:

Import Data → Preprocess → Segment → Generate Surfaces → Analyze → Export
  1. Import — Load DICOM, NIfTI, or other volumetric data
  2. Preprocess — Crop, resample, or filter the volume as needed
  3. Segment — Create masks to isolate structures of interest
  4. Generate Surfaces — Convert masks to triangle meshes for visualization or export
  5. Analyze — Perform measurements, statistics, or quality analysis
  6. Export — Save results as images, meshes, reports, or data files

Next Steps​

You now understand the Volvicon workspace and can load volumetric data. Continue with these tutorials:

Quick Reference​

TaskLocation
Create new projectFile → New
Open existing projectFile → Open
Save projectFile → Save or Ctrl + S
Change layoutView → Layout
Adjust contrastView → Window/Level
Access documentationHelp → User Guide

Troubleshooting​

Data does not display correctly​

  • Verify the file format is supported
  • Check that DICOM files are complete (not truncated)
  • For raw data, ensure dimensions and spacing are specified correctly

Views appear black or white​

  • Adjust Window/Level settings from the View tab
  • Use Auto in the Window/Level panel to calculate optimal values
  • Verify the data contains valid intensity values

Application runs slowly​

  • Large datasets may require more memory
  • Consider cropping to a region of interest
  • Check system requirements in Help → System Information