New Multi-Modality Image Support in ITK-SNAP 3.0
Improved support for multi-component images
We extensively refactored and greatly improved the way ITK-SNAP handles 3D images with multiple components and 4D images. While version 2 only supported grayscale and RGB color images, the new version supports images with any number of components, including dynamic images (the beating heart), diffusion tensor images, deformation fields, complex-valued images, etc. Added GUI controls allow you to switch between viewing different components or channels in a multi-component image, or to visualize the average or magnitude of the components. And you can animate 4D images.
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Active contour segmentation for multi-modality images
ITK-SNAP is one of the first tools to allow user-guided segmentation of multivariate imaging data. Whether you are working with multi-component images (e.g., DTI) or with several image layers (e.g. T1 and T2-weighted MRI), you can perform active contour segmentation using all the information available at each position in the image. The semi-automatic segmentation workflow remains similar to that of ITK-SNAP 2.x, in that you preprocess the input images turning them into a speed image, place initialization bubbles, and let them evolve. However, a new option has been added for generating speed images: clustering. Clustering tried to automatically partition the voxels in the input image into a specified number of clusters. You tag clusters as foreground or background to produce a speed image.
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Better visualization and management for multiple image layers
ITK-SNAP has long supported multiple image layers (overlays), but the new version takes this support much further. There is a new option to tile multiple layers, rather than relying on transparency and different color maps for visualization. Access to layer information and basic layer commands (such as changing the colormap) is a click away. The updated layer inspector dialog provides layer reordering and management capabilities. Moreover, the new architecture will make it easy to add new layer image processing functionality in future versions.
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