Image Properties and Settings

All datasets that are available are listed in the top section of the Data Properties and Settings panel.

Click the Datasets icon at the top of the panel to see the available datasets (see Filters for information about filtering the listed items).
Click the Eye icon on the left side of an item to show or hide the dataset in the currently selected scene (see Object List for more information about changing the visibility of a dataset).
Note Multi-image visualizations or 'fused views' can be created by simply changing the visibility of your image data in the Data Properties and Settings panel (see Multi-Image Visualizations).
Select a dataset to view basic information about the dataset and to access settings to modify its appearance in 2D and 3D views.
Right-click the required dataset to access functions for registering datasets, aligning image slices, cropping, and sampling (see Image Data Pop-Up Menu).

The information available for the selected image data includes its geometry, size, and data type. A large thumbnail is also available for reference.

*Basic properties*
	Description
Width	Indicates the total number of pixels along the X-axis and its physical dimension*.
Height	Indicates the total number of pixels along the Y-axis and its physical dimension*.
Depth	Indicates the total number of pixels along the Z-axis and its physical dimension*.
Time steps	Indicates the size of the time (T) dimension.
Voxels	Indicates the total number of voxels in the dataset. Calculated as widthheightdepth*time steps.
Size	Indicates the file size of the image data.
Data type	Indicates the primitive data type, either Unsigned character (UBYTE), Unsigned short (USHORT), Unsigned integer (UINT), or Float. See Converting Image Data) for information about converting datasets to different data types.
Volume	Indicates the total volume occupied by the dataset.

* Calculated as pixels*spacing.

Additional information about a selected dataset, and the opportunity to modify image spacing, data offset and slope, position, and orientation is available in the Dataset Tools panel (see Image Properties).

Tools

Tools to create histograms are available in the Tools panel.

2D Settings

You can modify the appearance of image data in 2D views by selecting an interpolation scheme in the 2D settings box. Note that modifications can only be applied if the dataset is selected in the list and is visible in the currently selected 2D view.

2D settings

2D settings

The following interpolation schemes are available for 2D views.

*Interpolation schemes*
	Description
Nearest	This basic interpolation scheme requires the least processing time because it only considers one pixel — the one closest to the interpolated point.
Linear	Considers the closest 2x2 neighborhood of known pixel values surrounding the unknown pixel. It then takes a weighted average of these 4 pixels to arrive at its final interpolated value. Linear interpolation amounts to convolution of the sampled image by a triangle function and can result in much smoother looking images than Nearest.
Cubic	This interpolation scheme goes one step beyond linear by considering the closest 4x4 neighborhood of known pixels — for a total of 16 pixels. Since these are at various distances from the unknown pixel, closer pixels are given a higher weighting in the calculation. Cubic interpolation can produce noticeably sharper images than the previous two methods.

You can adjust the opacity of image data, as well as apply Look-Up Table (LUT) functions that map how regions within specific arrays of intensity are highlighted and how color is applied, in the Window Leveling panel (see Window Leveling).

3D Presets

Applying a 3D preset to selected image data lets you quickly apply groups of 3D settings, scene's views properties, and lighting effects to improve the visualization of 3D renderings (see Working with 3D Presets). The default 3D presets available in the drop-down menu are optimized for specific materials, such as biological samples, concrete, plastics, and metals. You can also create your own 3D presets for particular materials or data samples in the 3D presets box.

3D presets

3D presets

3D Settings

The following settings are available for modifying the appearance of datasets in 3D views. You should note that modifications can only be applied if the dataset is selected in the list and is visible in the currently selected 3D view.

3D settings

3D settings

Some 3D settings, such as cubic interpolation, high quality, and filtered gradient, can lead to rendering delays. For more speed, you can turn off some of these GPU-intensive features until your visualization workflow is complete.

*3D settings*
	Description
Solidity	Lets you vary the solidity, or opaqueness, of the voxels of the selected object. You should note that this non-linear function is applied at every step of the raycasting process in contrast to opacity, which is a linear function that determines the transparency of an object.
Diffuse	Lets you vary the strength of diffuse light reflected from the surfaces of an object and is a characteristic of light absorbed by surfaces. Increasing the diffuse lighting with the Diffuse slider will result in surfaces being more defined.
Specular	Lets you vary the strength of specular reflections originating from the surfaces of an object and is a characteristic of light reflected from shiny surfaces. Increasing this property with the Specular slider will result in increased reflections. You should note that specular effects will be affected by the Specular boost setting, if this settings is selected.
Shininess	Lets you vary how much smooth surfaces of an object reflect light. Increasing shininess with the Shininess slider will result in surfaces that reflect more light. Note This parameter is usually adjusted in conjunction with Specular.
Cubic interpolation	If checked, cubic interpolation will be applied to image data in the selected 3D view. If not selected, linear interpolation will be applied. Linear… Considers the closest 2x2 neighborhood and then takes a weighted average of these 4 pixels to arrive at its final interpolated value. Cubic… This interpolation scheme goes one step beyond Linear by considering the closest 4x4x4 neighborhood of known pixels. This scheme produces the smoothest results.
High quality	If checked, the quality of renderings will be increased by adding more video memory. Original image (left) compared with high-quality applied (right)
Flip ROI lighting	Reverses the segmentation light so that low intensity regions are shown more readily.
Edge contrast	If checked, the intensity values displayed are modulated with the values of their gradient modulus to produce an image in which edges are emphasized and other features are semi-transparent. Original image (left) compared with edge contrast applied (right) Note The degree of contrast can be adjusted with the Contrast slider.
Unsharp	If checked, renderings will be sharpened by increasing contrast along edges and other high frequency components. Note The term Unsharp comes from a darkroom technique used in traditional film-based photography in which an unsharp or smoothed version of an image is subtracted from the original one.
Median	If checked, objects will be smoothed by median filtering. When applied, pixel values are replaced with the median of itself and their neighbors. This can help remove noise while still preserving boundaries.
Tone mapping	Tone mapping maps one set of colors to another to approximate the appearance of high-dynamic-range images in a medium that has a more limited dynamic range. In Dragonfly, it can be applied to brighten datasets that appear too dark.
Specular boost	If checked, adjustments to the Specular setting will be greater.
Filtered gradient	If checked, this option will smooth the gradient calculated for lighting. Very similar to cubic interpolation, but applied to the gradient with the effect of smoothing areas with abrupt intensity changes. Note An image gradient is a directional change in the intensity or color in an image.

Clip

The Clip tool allows you to clip interactively along orthogonal planes in the 2D and 3D views of the selected dataset, as well apply visual effects to the clipped region (see Clipping and Applying Visual Effects to Clips and Shapes).