Basic Vitrea User Guide
Basic Vitrea User Guide
Basic Vitrea User Guide
version 4.0
User Guide
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Notice of Confidentiality
This software and the information in this software including, but not limited to, the ideas, concepts and know-how are proprietary,
confidential and trade secret to Vital Images, and the information contained therein shall be maintained as proprietary, confidential and
trade secret to Vital Images and shall not be copied or reproduced in any form whatsoever. This software and any information contained
therein shall not be disclosed to anyone other than authorized representatives of the user's employer, who is contractually obligated not to
disclose same without the express written consent of Vital Images. The user of this software and any information contained therein shall not
attempt to discern Vital Images' confidential and trade secret information and shall not reverse compile, disassemble, or otherwise reverse
engineer this software or any information contained therein.
MediMark Europe
11 rue Emile ZOLA, BP 2332, 38033
GRENOBLE CEDEX 2, France
Tel: +33 476 86 43 22
Fax:+33 476 17 19 82
email: [email protected]
MediMark Europe is an authorized representative in the European Community and acts on behalf of Vital Images, Inc. in the
communication of safety-related incidents and regulatory matters with Competent Authorities in the European Community. Distributors are
still the first line of communication with their customers regarding service and complaints.
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Safety and Regulatory Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Vitrea Intended Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Caution Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
General Safety Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
HIPAA Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Online Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Release Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Contact Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mouse Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Viewer Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Displaying the Viewer Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Viewer Window Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Visual Tab Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Visual Tab Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Analysis Tab Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Analysis Tab Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Batch Tab Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
MPR In-view Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3D In-view Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Right-click Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2D Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57
Manipulating 2D Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Orienting Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Changing Orientation of 2D Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Displaying Slices in Montage Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Scrolling through a Volume of Montage Slices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
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3D Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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MPR Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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MPR Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Using the MPR Border, Crosshair, and Orientation Labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Displaying the MPR Imaging Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Switching MPR Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Rotate MPRs Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Displaying Images in an Oblique Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
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Basic Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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151
153
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Fine-Tuning Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Advanced Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Study Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Introduction
This chapter contains:
Product Overview
Safety and Regulatory Considerations
Online Registration
Release Notes
Contact Us
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Functions
Product Overview
Vital Images Vitrea medical imaging software, installed on a state-of-the art,
high performance Windows workstation, provides the most sophisticated
volume-rendering software available anywhere in the world today.
Vitrea revolutionizes the world of clinical radiology by providing an easy-to-use
workstation that can make diagnoses easier, faster, and more reliable than ever
before. Vitrea provides both 2D and 3D environments, where you can create and
examine diagnostic quality images in less than five minutes. Vitrea gives you the
tools you need for your daily work: fast image rendering, an embedded clinical
workflow and protocols, image fine-tuning and navigation, and report authoring.
With Vitrea, you can:
Product Overview
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General
Vitrea 2 is a medical diagnostic system that allows the processing, review,
analysis, communication and media interchange of multi-dimensional digital
images acquired from a variety of imaging devices. Vitrea provides the ability to
review digital images from original DICOM data for multiple modalities, including
CT, MR, DR, CR, XA, US, NM, PET, etc.
Vitrea is not meant for primary image interpretation in mammography.
Automated Vessel Measurements
The separately-licensed Vitrea Automated Vessel Measurements (AVM) option is
intended for the study/analysis of selected vessels for stenosis analysis, pre- and
post-surgery stent planning and directional vessel tortuosity evaluation.
Cardiac EP Planning
Cardiac EP Planning is a post processing advanced visualization application that
is intended to be used for the analysis and assessment of the heart including the
atria, pulmonary veins, and coronary sinus. The application provides analysis
tools which include a number of display, quantitative measurement and 3D
model export capabilities for use with the St. Jude Ensite System. The
application can be used to aid trained physicians in the visualization and
assessment of cardiac anatomy.
CT Brain Perfusion
The separately-licensed Vitrea CT Brain Perfusion option is intended for
postprocessing based on dynamic CT images continuously acquired during the
injection of contrast, for the visualization of apparent blood flow in brain tissue
and pictorial illustration of perfusion-related parameters to aid in the assessment
of the type and extent of cerebral perfusion disturbances.
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tool only. Mirada Solutions and Vital Images assume no liability for any misuse or
clinical outcome resulting from the use of the software as an aid to diagnosis. The
software is made available to the user with the understanding that the software is
only an aid or adjunct to processes or decisions that can be made without the use
of the software.
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Caution Statements
General
Federal law (USA) restricts this device to sale by, or on the order of, a
physician.
Select slice thickness and slice spacing in image acquisition so that details of
diagnostic interest are not lost due to too large interslice spacing. Keep in
mind that the inherent limitations of scan slice thickness set the ultimate
available resolution limit.
As with any medical imaging process, you must be fully conversant with the
limitations of the basic imaging modality and of ensuing image processing.
This includes understanding the limitations of the initial series acquisition,
image processing technology used, and image display methods. Also, be
aware that medical imaging is valid only when appropriate measures have
been taken to obtain optimal images with correct orientation and correct
patient identifiers.
It is essential that you read, understand, and follow the directions for Loading
a Study or Volume. Incorrect loading procedures could cause errors in image
orientation, scaling, or measurements.
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Threshold error, causing processed images to contain less detail than the
original images.
Vitrea Features
It is possible, when adjusting the view, to reorient the volume so that its
position no longer corresponds to the original orientation. You should
interpret the relative positions of objects within the volume accordingly.
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When the Viewer window is in Crosshair mode, it displays the voxel density
value in Hounsfield units (HU) at the intersection of the crosshairs. It is
possible that the value displayed could be incorrect, due to a software error
in the scanner or in Vitrea. Do not base any decisions that affect patient
welfare solely on the data HU values displayed.
When printing a posted report from the Review window browser, images may
not have the same detail or exact colors as the images would if you printed
them from the Report window.
If you include images from more than one volume for the same patient in
a report, the report headings, if any, will identify the images you loaded
most recently. It may be important to identify which images are
associated with which volume. See Including Snapshots from Multiple
Volumes on One Report for instructions.
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For best results, set the workstation monitor resolution to 1600 X 1200 pixels.
If you set the monitor to a lower resolution, for example 1280 x 1024, you may
not be able to see some buttons and controls. If you use a lower resolution,
set the Windows Taskbar to auto-hide. To do this, right-click the taskbar, then
select Properties. Check Auto-hide the taskbar box.
You must have enough random access memory (RAM) on your workstation. If
you do not have sufficient memory, you may experience a significant
decrease in system performance or even a system crash. It is important to
provide enough memory to work with--more than the anticipated maximum
size for a volume. If you think you are experiencing low memory issues,
contact your System Administrator or Vital Images. For Vital Images contact
information, see Contact Us.
Do not use the Vitrea workstation if any unsafe condition exists. If the
hardware fails, resulting in a hazardous condition such as smoke or fire, turn
off the power to the hardware and unplug the monitor and CPU. Do not use
the equipment if a malfunction takes place. Contact your System
Administrator or Vital Images to correct any malfunctions before proceeding.
For Vital Images contact information, see Contact Us.
If the Vitrea screen goes blank or the system locks up at any time while you
are using it, it could disrupt the interpretation of an image. Should this occur,
be sure to restart Vitrea.
Do not install the Vitrea workstation within six feet of a patient area. Patient
vicinity is defined in Medical Electrical Equipment - Safety Requirements for
Medical Electrical Systems (IEC 601-1-1), as any volume in which intentional
or unintentional contact between the PATIENT and any parts of the SYSTEM or
some other persons touching parts of the SYSTEM can occur. See the
following diagram for clarification:
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General Safety
Considerations
The Vitrea software and its computer platform constitute the Vitrea workstation.
The Vitrea workstation is a sophisticated combination of software and hardware.
The Vitrea workstation is intended to be used by the following individuals:
Physicians
Radiologic technologists
Other medical personnel under a physicians supervision
Keep the electronic copy of this manual on your workstation. Review the Vitrea
operating instructions on a regular basis, paying special attention to Caution
statements and Notes.
Refer to the instruction manuals for your specific computer hardware and for any
other system software for additional safety information.
Be sure to limit access to patient data to authorized individuals. Access control
can be achieved by physical security measures (locking systems), by softwarebased password security systems, or both. If you have questions, contact your
System Administrator or Vital Images. For Vital Images contact information, see
Contact Us.
HIPAA Compliance
Vital Images products comply with the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
It is the responsibility of users to comply with their institutions HIPAA policies.
Online Registration
All customers are required to register their Vitrea software and agree to the terms
of a Vital Images software license agreement. Upon installation and subsequent
upgrades, a dialog box will display every time you launch Vitrea, requesting you
register the software. After you register, the dialog box will not display.
You can also register your software through our Web site, or by email.
Online Registration
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Release Notes
Vitrea Release Notes contain late-breaking information not available at the time
the manual was released. This document is available from your System
Administrator or from Vital Images.
Contact Us
For general, non-technical support questions, contact us through our Web
site: www.vitalimages.com.
Click Send.
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Release Notes
Keyboard Shortcuts
NOTE: If you run Vitrea on a PACS, your shortcuts may differ slightly, or the
keycaps may not be blue. See your PACS vendors documentation for details.
Function Keys
F2
S-I
F3
I-S
F4
A-P
F5
P-A
F6
L-R
F7
R-L
F8
OBLIQUE
F9
PREVIOUS
F10
NEXT
F11
Undo last action in Viewer window. Click repeatedly to undo multiple actions.
UNDO
F12
REDO
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controls.
CTRL-Y
CTRL-Z
SPACEBAR
Display arrows or annotations in the order they were added. Press repeatedly to
cycle through the objects.
Left SHIFT
3D: Auto-rotate.
AUTO-VIEW
2D/MPR: Auto-scroll.
Left ALT
3D TOOL
>
Fly forward.
NAV FWD
<
Fly backward.
NAV REV
?
180
SHIFT+ >
SHIFT + <
Right SHIFT
MULTI-CONTOURS
Right ALT
POINT & GO
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HOME
RESET
PAGE UP
DELETE
END
CENTER
PAGE DOWN
Arrow Keys
MAG
MIN
ROTATE CINE
ROTATE CINE
Any ARROW
Mouse Functions
Pan
Zoom
Scroll
Auto-scroll
Auto-rotate
image
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Getting Started
This chapter contains information on:
Starting Vitrea
Start Vitrea from the Windows Desktop after the workstation is powered on.
To start Vitrea:
1. If the Welcome to Windows dialog box displays, press CTRL-ALT-DELETE.
The Log On to Windows dialog box displays.
NOTE: To register your software, you must log on as a Vitrea
administrator. For help with registration, contact your System
Administrator.
2. Type vitrea in the Username field.
Closing Vitrea
Close Vitrea from any Vitrea window except the Review window.
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5
3
4
9
6
8
TABLE 1. Study Directory Features
Callout
Description
Number
Study Directory
Software Version
Preview Pane
Load Buttons
Patient List
Status Bar
In the patient list, the Status column contains folder and cube icons. Folders
represent patient studies and cubes (within folders) represent volumes. The color
and specific icon represents the phase of that study or volume within the Vitrea
workflow.
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New Volume
Building Volumes
Reported Volume
Locked Study
The patient list displays all patient studies and volumes currently loaded in the
Vitrea workstation.
A volume is an image file that Vitrea builds from a DICOM dataset, containing the
original scanned images. Each volume lists the exam date, exam type, modality,
number of slices, slice thickness, and slice spacing.
Sorting Study
Information
Searching Study
Information
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Showing or Hiding
Volumes
Click the Show-Hide arrow to the left of a study line to show or hide volumes
within a patient study.
The Show-Hide arrow points:
Selecting Studies or
Volumes in the Patient
List
You can select a study or volume to load or delete, or deselect a study or volume
to prevent it from being loaded or deleted.
To select one study or volume:
Preview images or snapshots in the Preview pane on the Study Directory. The
Preview pane provides a way to verify the volumes you select contain images you
want to see. You can set the Preview pane to Show Preview Slices, Show
Snapshots, or Show Sub-volume Selection.
If you have saved snapshots for the volume or study, use the Preview pane to
preview all saved snapshots, select the snapshot you want to work with, and
restore the workflow to the Viewer window. Preview snapshots and restore
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To get a better look at the snapshot or preview slice, adjust the window and level
settings of the Preview pane.
The Preview pane displays the middle slice of the selected volumes. If you select
multiple volumes, the preview images display in either a 4-up or a 9-up format in
the order the volumes will display in the Viewer window.
NOTE: For DICOM queries in the query list, the preview slice does not display.
To change the window and level of a preview slice:
1. Place cursor over Preview pane.
2. Click and drag across the Preview pane as follows until you are satisfied with
the window and level settings:
simultaneously.
Monitoring Memory
Usage
The Memory Usage indicator shows the amount of memory required to load a
selected patient study or volume(s). If the amount of memory required to load the
dataset meets or exceeds the pre-defined threshold, as indicated by the orange
line, Vitrea engages extended memory support.
NOTE: For information on configuring the pre-defined memory threshold, contact
your System Administrator.
When the Engage Extended Memory box is checked, the volume will load with
Direct Lighting volume rendering and Image Quality set to 3. Once the volume is
loaded, you will be able to reset the Image Quality to 1, but all lit rendering
options will be unavailable.
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NOTE: If your system does not support Image Quality settings, all lit rendering
You can override extended memory support by clearing the Engage Extended
Memory box.
FIGURE 3. Extended Memory Disengaged
NOTE: If the required memory is over the threshold and you override extended
Monitoring Available
Disk Space
The pie chart in the lower right corner of the Study Directory indicates available
disk space. Whenever Vitrea receives data, the pie chart updates.
FIGURE 4. Disk Space
If the systems available disk space drops below a pre-specified amount, you
must delete studies or volumes to receive more data.
NOTE: For information about configuring the disk space limit, contact your System
Administrator.
If Vitrea determines that performing AutoDelete will free enough disk space to
continue receiving data, a dialog box displays asking if you want to run
AutoDelete now.
If Vitrea determines that performing AutoDelete will not free enough disk space to
continue receiving data (due to its settings or because it is not enabled), you
must manually delete studies or volumes.
NOTE: For information about how your workstations AutoDelete feature is
configured, contact your System Administrator.
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Filtering Small
Volumes
multiple modalities, including CT, MR, DR, CR, XA, US, NM, PET, etc. However, only
CT and MR data can be built into 3D volume(s). For Vitrea to build a volume from a
CT or MR series, the series must contain a minimum number of slices. This
number is a configurable threshold, which you can set to any number greater than
2.
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not be loaded. You may load a subset of the dataset that will fit in the
Vitrea memory. For CT exams, on systems with 8GB of physical memory
(RAM) and the 64-bit Operating System upgrade, you can load volumes
of up to approximately 3000 slices into Vitrea.
When volume(s) are loaded, the Gallery window displays.
If you receive an error message saying All Vitrea licenses are currently in use,
one of the other Vitrea users must exit to the Study Directory or close Vitrea
before you can use your workstation.
After the other user exits to the Study Directory or closes Vitrea, there is a
delay of one minute before the license is free, unless your site has changed
the default time-out setting.
NOTE: To find out more about your site licenses and time-out settings,
Loading a Sub-Volume
You can load a portion of a volume by using the sub-volume selection option. This
is especially useful for large datasets, such as runoffs or whole body scans.
NOTE: Sub-volume Loading is only available for single frame CT studies.
To load a sub-volume:
1. In the Patient list, select a single volume to load.
2. Below the Preview pane, select Show Sub-volume Selection.
The Preview pane displays a coronal view of the volume with yellow range
lines on the top and bottom of the view.
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Restoring Workflow
You can restore the workflow of a study or volume by restoring its snapshot.
If the snapshot was saved with multiple volumes loaded, you can:
load only the single volume that snapshot is associated with (may take
less time)
load all the volumes, and their workflow states, that were loaded when
the snapshot was saved (may take more time)
NOTE: You cannot restore snapshots saved using any of the separately-licensed
options on a workstation that does not have the appropriate option licensed.
EXAMPLE If you save a snapshot using Vessel Probe, you cannot restore that
snapshot on another Vitrea that does not have a Vessel Probe license.
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3. To restore only the single volume associated with the snapshot, clear the
Multi-Volumes box.
OR
To restore all the volumes that were loaded when the snapshot was taken,
check the Multi-Volumes box.
FIGURE 7. Multi-Volumes
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Importing Datasets
from CD
select the dataset to import, Vitrea will import the entire contents of the
CD.
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For more information about using Softread or Study Viewer, see the Softread User
Locking/Unlocking
Studies or Volumes
Select Unlock. The lock icon is removed from each selected study or volume.
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Deleting Studies or
Volumes
Deleting a study or volume in this way will permanently delete it from the Vitrea
workstation. However, this will not delete it from anywhere else on the network.
You can delete:
A particular volume
All volumes for a patient study
All studies and volumes for a patient
If you delete all studies and volumes for a patient, the patients name no longer
displays on the Study Directory.
To delete one or more studies or volumes for a patient:
1. Select study(ies) or volume(s) to delete.
2. Right-click a selected study or volume.
3. Select Delete....
A dialog box displays.
4. Click Yes.
Reconciling or Editing
Patient Studies
When a patient study arrives on the Vitrea workstation, Vitrea checks the patient
information against all other studies in the patient list. If it finds any patient
studies with matching IDs with names that do not match, you will be alerted when
you try to load the study.
If your site is configured to require reconciliation, you may need to reconcile the
studies before you can load either of them in Vitrea.
If your site is not configured to require reconciliation, you will be warned about
possible duplicate patient studies, but you can load them after reading the
warning message.
NOTE: For information about configuring patient reconciliation, contact your
System Administrator.
compliant manner. To make the patient anonymous in the DICOM file, click
Export, then click Anonymize in the DICOM Export dialog box.
NOTE: If you edit patient information for a study containing snapshots, the
NOTE: If you edit patient information for a locked study, Vitrea will delete the old
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you have 150 patients), especially for large patient files. So, use this option only
when you have plenty of time to wait for the refreshing process.
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Exporting Images
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Archiving Volumes to
CD
When you save a volume to a CD or DVD, a dialog box provides choices for the
kinds of files to save. You can restore views from snapshots stored on a CD or
DVD.
You can archive one or more volumes to a CD or DVD. The volumes must already
be stored on the Vitrea workstation.
NOTE: If you record one or more volumes on a CD or DVD, and at a later time want
to add more volumes, be sure you do not attempt to record the same volume
twice on the CD or DVD. If you do this, the CD or DVD will become unreadable.
To archive one or more volumes to CD or DVD:
1. Select the volume(s) to save.
2. Click Archive to CD/DVD.
The Archive CD dialog box displays.
Optional To encode patient identification information before archiving, click
Anonymize.
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4X
Fastest
Fastest will save time, but increase the chance of an error, especially if
the workstation is busy doing anything else.
Writing a CD or DVD at fastest while Vitrea is receiving a DICOM dataset,
for example, increases the chances of write errors, even though writing at
that speed usually works fine.
If you encounter an error while writing the CD or DVD, discard it and start
again with a new one.
NOTE: While writing one or more volumes to a CD or DVD, you cannot
If you archived the dataset(s) to free up disk space on the workstation, press
DELETE or BACKSPACE to delete the dataset(s) from Vitrea.
NOTE: You can re-import and load any datasets written to CD or DVD at
any time.
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Overview
Query List - used to select studies and series stored on a DICOM device
or CD or DVD
DICOM Query area - used to query the server (build the query list) and
retrieve selected datasets from other DICOM devices to the Vitrea
workstation
TABLE 3. Query List Features
Item or Icon
Purpose
Query List
The DICOM Query area on the QRServer tab and the CD tab allows you to narrow
the results of the query. The configuration at installation time for patient query
enables or disables display of the query list, DICOM Query area, and tabs for
querying servers or the workstation CD drive.
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Querying DICOM
Devices
You can query any DICOM device for patient studies if both the device and Vitrea
workstation are networked and configured properly.
NOTE: Queried patient data retrieved from DICOM devices contains only the
To narrow the list of datasets, and reduce the time it takes to complete the
query, enter information or select a value in any of these fields:
Studies Occurring
Today
Within last 3 days
Within last 1 week
Within last 2 weeks
Within last 30 days
Any time
Patient name
Patient ID
Accession number
Study description
Modality
Server (select one server or all servers)
NOTE: Server names are unique for your site. To get server names, click
Server menu in DICOM Query area of the Vitrea Study Directory. Contact
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Name field. To find a patient ID, select Patient ID from the dropdown list
and enter the exact patient ID or as much of it as you know, in the field.
Use an asterisk to indicate a wild card for part of any data value or name,
except Accession Number.
2. Click Query.
The DICOM/CD query list displays all datasets that meet the search criteria on
the queried device or server.
NOTE: If you are querying a DICOM device to verify it received the exported
images, and you notice a discrepancy in the number of images listed for the study
in the Study Directory and the number listed in the DICOM Query/CD list, check
the number of snapshots exported with the study, if any. Vitrea exports
snapshots as hidden files and does not include them in the number of images
listed on the Study Directory. DICOM devices, however, count the snapshot
images as part of the series or study, so the number of images displayed for the
study in the DICOM Query/CD list will include them. If you did not export
snapshots with the study, or the discrepancy in the number of images is
significant, there may have been an export problem. Contact Vital Images'
Technical Support for assistance.
If other Vitrea workstations at your site are configured as DICOM query devices,
you can query any workstation on the network for all patient information stored
on that workstation.
NOTE: Under the DICOM/CD query list, all configured Vitrea workstations have
associated tabs. For questions about which tab to use, or if you want another
Vitrea configured, contact your System Administrator.
To query other Vitrea workstations:
From the list of tabs under the DICOM/CD query list, select the tab associated
with the workstation you want to query.
Vitrea displays a list of all studies stored on the other workstation.
Retrieving DICOM
Images
Querying makes a list of datasets display in the DICOM/CD query list. Retrieving
them creates studies and volumes in the patient list and makes them available
for loading in Vitrea.
To retrieve DICOM images from the DICOM/CD query list:
1. In the DICOM/CD query list, click the study or series (or multiple studies or
series) to retrieve.
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2. Click Retrieve.
The message Start receiving displays in the status line at the bottom of the
screen, indicating the patient study is being retrieved.
As Vitrea receives the data and starts building the volume(s), a line for the
study, along with a status icon, displays in the patient list.
The Vitrea workstation can perform other activities while the dataset is being
retrieved. A green folder indicates the study has arrived and is ready to be
loaded.
Importing DICOM or
DICOMDIR Data from
CD
When scanners and workstations write data to CD, it is usually in a format called
DICOMDIR, a standardized media format that specifies how data should be
organized. When images are saved in DICOMDIR format, a summary file is
generated, with some brief information about the data it references, such as
patient name, patient ID, and study description. You can view images saved in
this format in Study Viewer or Softread by importing DICOMDIR data from CD into
the Vitrea Study Directory. Then load the images into Softread or the Study
Viewer. See the Softread User Guide or the Study Viewer chapter.
To import DICOMDIR files from CD:
1. Load CD into CD-ROM drive.
2. On the Study Directory, select CD tab under the DICOM/CD query list.
All data on the CD displays in the query list. The Archive to CD button changes
to Import CD.
3. Right-click anywhere in the blank area of the CD list, and select Import CD.
OR
Right-click any dataset in the query list, and select Import CD from the
dropdown menu.
NOTE: All data on the CD is imported - not just the dataset you selected.
OR
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Use the Smart Query feature to find related patient studies from an archive when
you select a patient study in the patient list. This is useful for doing comparative
reviews.
FIGURE 14. Smart Query Area
Patient ID box
Patients Last Name and Date Of Birth box
3. Select the server from the Server dropdown menu.
4. Select a patient study from the Patient List.
5. Click Query.
OR
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You can keep the system-assigned protocol, or select a different protocol in the
Gallery window. Before you can work with images in the Viewer window, you must
select one of the presets.
FIGURE 15. Gallery Window
To select a protocol:
On the Gallery window, click a different protocol name from the Protocol list.
Preset views change to reflect the protocol selected.
To pick a preset:
NOTE: If you are loading multiple volumes, see the instructions for 2D
Comparative Review. If you are loading a modified preset, see the instructions for
picking a modified preset.
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To view the previous or next loaded volume in the current Viewer window
format, press PREVIOUS [F9] or NEXT [F10].
2. To display all currently loaded volumes in 2D in the Viewer window, click the
All-Exams Viewer window format.
Modifying Presets
Check Use Modified Presets box to include customized presets as choices on the
Gallery window.
To modify a preset:
1. Load a study or volume.
2. Select one of the default presets.
3. Change any of these settings on the Viewer window:
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Viewer Window
Viewer Window
The Viewer window is the main working area in Vitrea. After you select a preset in
the Gallery window, it displays images based on the specified protocol and
preset. The Viewer window displays the images in specific combinations (Viewer
window formats):
Viewer Window
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Viewer Window
Formats
The upper left corner of the Viewer window contains Viewer window format
buttons. The format determines the number of views displayed on the Viewer
window.
Depending on the preset selected on the Gallery window, the Viewer Window
Format toolbar initially contains four instant-format buttons to change the Viewer
window format. Use the dropdown arrows to display all available Viewer window
format options.
To change the Viewer window format:
Click any dropdown arrow to open the full menu of Viewer window format
buttons.
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Viewer Window
Format
Description
2D Format Buttons (Black)
2D Montage
formats
Display 2D slices as acquired by scanner. You can see one, four, nine, or
sixteen slice images.
All-Exams
Viewer Window
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Format
Description
5-up
for viewing the global perspective in the lower 3D and a focused pointof-interest view in the upper 3D view.
Targeted
Navigation
Two 3D views and three MPR views, with one larger than the others.
3D views display in lower right and left, and MPR views display in upper left
(axial), upper right (sagittal), and middle right (coronal).
This format is useful for selecting a target, such as an anatomical feature or
lesion, in the large MPR view and eyepoint in the upper left, large MPR view,
and viewing the target in the lower left 3D view.
Runoff
Dual Volume
Two volumes displayed side-by-side, 2-up (one MPR and one 3D) views.
Use this format for side-by-side comparative review of two volumes (prone
and supine, for example).
Advanced Application Format Buttons (Red)
See the User Guide for the Advanced Application you are using for information on Advanced Application
Format Buttons.
Customize the four instant-format buttons that display for any preset so they
represent formats used most frequently. Then, save your changes as part of a
modified preset.
To customize instant format buttons:
1. Click dropdown arrow next to button you want to customize.
2. Select a Viewer window format.
The instant button changes to that format.
On the Visual tab of the Viewer window, you can view and manipulate original
acquired 2D slices or 3D rendered volumes and MPR views.
Use the Visual tab buttons to trim away pieces of images; label images with
arrows, annotations, arrowtations, and rulers; adjust image window and level
settings; and see the tissue density of any point on an image.
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Viewer Window
Viewer Window
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Description
Color control
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Viewer Window
Keyboard
Accelerator
H
Description
Move Crosshairs and Display Data Values and Coordinates - Click Crshair
(or press H), then click or click and drag in the view.
NOTE: In 2D Montage views, this displays single pixel HU or SI values,
but no crosshairs.
Change Window/Level - Click WinLev (or press W), then click and drag in
the view.
NOTE: Drag horizontally to change window, vertically to change level,
Add Contours - Click Free (or press F), then click and drag in the view.
Edit Contours - Click Free (or press F), then put cursor over contour, and
click and drag in the view.
Delete Contours - With Free or Ellipse active, press BACKSPACE or
DELETE.
Add an Arrow - Click Arrow (or press M), then click and drag in the view.
Move Through Images Containing Arrows in MPR views - Press SPACEBAR
to go forward. Press SHIFT + SPACEBAR to go back.
Delete Arrows - With Arrow active, click the arrow to select it then press
BACKSPACE or DELETE.
Capture an Image - Click Snap (or press S), then click the view.
Capture Multiple Images - With Snap active, hold ALT, then click each
image.
Capture All Images on Viewer window in one snapshot - With Snap
active, press CTRL, then click in window.
Reset images to their state when first loaded into the Viewer window.
CAUTION: This removes all of your changes, including sculpting,
Trim along Orthogonal Planes - Click Trim (or press T), then click and
drag borders of yellow trim box in the MPR views.
Return trimmed images to Full Volume.
Viewer Window
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Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Add a Simple Ruler - Click Ruler (or press R), then click and drag in the
view.
Add a Multiple Ruler (Angle) - Click Ruler (or press R), then click in the
view and release to place first endpoint, click and release to place
intermediate endpoint (vertex of angle), then double-click to place last
endpoint.
Delete Rulers - With Ruler active, click the ruler to select it then press
BACKSPACE or DELETE.
Add an Annotation - Click Label (or press L), then click image to place
cursor, then select annotation from dictionary or type in the text box.
Add an Arrow - Click corner, then drag to point arrow.
Edit Annotation Properties - Double-click label.
NOTE: To use another keyboard accelerator immediately after adding a
label, press CTRL+ the appropriate key.
Delete an Annotation - With Label active, click the label to select it then
press DELETE or BACKSPACE.
Tools available on the Analysis tab depend on the protocol and preset selected
on the Gallery window.
The Analysis tab displays a button palette that includes a ruler button for
performing measurements and free and elliptical drawing buttons for creating
contour lines in images.
Other tools on the Analysis tab include segmentation and object visibility tools.
NOTE: Depending on the options you have licensed, you may have additional
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Viewer Window
Description
Sculpting Options
Include - keep
sculpting in
foreground
Exclude - move
sculpting to
background
4
Segmentation Tools
Viewer Window
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Keyboard
Accelerator
H
Description
Move Crosshairs and Display Data Values and Coordinates - Click Crshair
(or press H), then click or click and drag in the view.
NOTE: In 2D Montage views, this displays single pixel HU or SI values,
but no crosshairs.
Change Window/Level - Click WinLev (or press W), then click and drag in
the view.
NOTE: Drag horizontally to change window, vertically to change level,
Add Contours - Click Free (or press F) or Ellipse (or press E), then click
and drag in the view.
Edit Contours - Click Free (or press F) or Ellipse (or press E), then put
cursor over contour, and click and drag in the view.
Delete Contours - With Free or Ellipse active, press BACKSPACE or
DELETE.
Capture an Image - Click Snap (or press S), then click the view.
Capture Multiple Images - With Snap active, hold ALT, then click each
image.
Capture All Images on Viewer window in one snapshot - With Snap
active, press CTRL, then click in window.
Reset images to their state when first loaded into the Viewer window.
CAUTION: This removes all of your changes, including sculpting,
performed.
Display Surface (after multiple contour lines are drawn) - Click Surface,
then review all contours in MPR views, and edit if needed.
NOTE: Not available for Curved or Oblique MPR, gantry tilt, or off-axis
acquisitions.
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Viewer Window
Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Sculpt Region Inside or Outside Surface (after contour lines are drawn) Select Include or Exclude:
Include: make area inside region of interest visible (included) and
area outside region invisible
Exclude: make area inside region invisible (excluded) and area
outside region visible, then:
Click Sculpt.
NOTE: Not available for Curved or Oblique MPR, gantry tilt, or off-axis
acquisitions.
Display Measurements for a Region (after regions are created) - Click
Measure, then click the view.
On the Batch tab of the Viewer window, you can make image batches and movies.
Use Batch tab buttons to mark starting, intermediate, and ending images for the
batch; to clear a batch; or undo your last action while creating a batch.
In addition, use tools on the Batch tab to create custom and scripted image
batches and digital movies; adjust step size or number of images in the batch;
create, print, or generate a movie from the batch; and adjust image quality.
Viewer Window
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Description
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Viewer Window
Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Click to control the direction of scripted MPR scroll batches.
Mark Starting Image for Batch - Click Start, then click in the image.
A green checkmark displays to indicate starting image.
Mark Intermediate Images for Batch - Click Via, then click in the image.
A green checkmark displays to indicate intermediate image.
Mark Ending Image for Batch - Click End, then click in the image.
A green checkmark displays to indicate ending image.
CTRL-Z
Undo last action. Click more than once to undo multiple actions.
CTRL-Y
Redo last undone action. Repeat to redo more than one undone action.
Click to Print the batch.
Viewer Window
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Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Click to create a digital Movie (.AVI file) of the batch.
MPR views contain tools for switching to a 1-up format, changing the arrangement
of views, adjust or define rendering, and for creating stacked MPR slices.
FIGURE 6. MPR View Controls
Callout
Number
Description
Maximize/Minimize
Rotate MPRs
Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Switch to 1-up Viewer window format - Click Maximize.
Switch back to X-up Viewer window format - Click Minimize.
Change the arrangement of sagittal, coronal, and axial image - Click
Rotate MPRs.
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Viewer Window
Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
MPR Mode Menu - Click dropdown arrow to display menu:
MPR Slice Thickness - Click and drag the slider to desired thickness
value.
OR
3D In-view Controls
3D views contain tools for switching to a 1-up format, and for switching 3D modes.
FIGURE 7. 3D View Controls
2
L
Callout
Number
Viewer Window
Description
Maximize/Minimize
3D Mode
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Keyboard
Accelerator
Description
Switch to 1-up Viewer window format - Click Maximize.
Switch back to X-up Viewer window format - Click Minimize.
3D Mode Buttons - To switch modes, click mode button until icon for desired mode displays
(all modes are not available in all protocols).
Fly Around 3D Mode - To view the volume from the outside
Fly Through 3D Mode - To fly through the an air or contrast filled lumen
Point of Interest (POI) 3D Mode - To view a small amount of image
immediately surrounding the current crosshair position.
Reverse View 3D Mode - To view the image opposite of the primary 3D
view.
Oblique Trim 3D Mode - To trim in an oblique plane.
Right-click Menu
NOTE: Depending on the options you have licensed, you may have additional
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Viewer Window
2D Imaging
This chapter contains information on:
Manipulating 2D Images
Displaying Slices in Montage Format
Using 2D Comparative Review
Looking Closer
Manipulating 2D Images
With 2D Montage formats, you can view slices as they were acquired by the
scanner. Using 2D Viewer window formats, controls, and tools on the Visual and
Analysis tabs, you can measure areas, stack slices, view any slice in the data set,
move images within the Viewer window, change the zoom factor, and load
multiple volumes for review.
Orienting Images
Image orientation refers to the viewing perspective. Four labels display along the
sides of an image indicate orientation of the image.
TABLE 1. Image Orientation Labels
S - Superior
I - Inferior
A - Anterior
P - Posterior
L - Left
R - Right
Changing Orientation
of 2D Views
Manipulating 2D Images
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Left-to-right, the slice displays with the right and left sides exchanged.
The top and bottom of the slice remain the same.
Up-to-down, the slice displays with the top and bottom exchanged. The
left and right sides remain the same.
Diagonally, the slice displays with both the right/left and top/bottom
sides exchanged.
Scrolling through a
Volume of Montage
Slices
Scroll through slices in a particular Montage slice view, as though you were
seeing a movie made from a series of slices. You can scroll manually or autoscroll
through 2D slices.
To scroll through slices in Montage mode:
1. Position cursor in any of the 2D slice views.
2. Right-click and drag up or down.
OR
Paging through a
Series of Montage
Slices
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Moving an Image
Shift an image within the view pane where that image displays. The image moves
as you drag it.
To move an image within the view pane:
You can change the window/level settings for all Montage slices displayed in the
View window.
To change the Window/Level settings:
1. Click WinLev or press W.
2. Click and drag in the view.
NOTE: Drag horizontally to change window, vertically to change level, and
diagonally to change both.
All slices re-render with the new window/level settings.
NOTE: To toggle between Window/Level and Crosshair controls, press W
repeatedly.
Use the Crosshair button to display the data value and coordinates of any spot in
a Montage slice.
To display the data value and coordinates in a Montage slice:
1. Click Crshair or press H.
2. Click anywhere in the image.
The data value displays on the image and the data value and coordinates
display in status line at bottom of screen.
If you have loaded multiple volumes, press PREVIOUS [F9] and NEXT [F10] to
refresh the Viewer window to show each loaded volume, one at a time, in the
order they display in the Study window.
EXAMPLE: If you loaded both prone and supine colon volumes for the same
patient ID, you could use PREVIOUS [F9] or NEXT [F10] to switch between the two
volumes.
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Resequencing 2D
Views
Grouping 2D Views on
the All-Exams Viewer
Window
Group the views in the All Exams Viewer window to manipulate and review them
together.
To group 2D views on All Exams Viewer window:
1. In the Study Directory, load multiple volumes.
2. In the Viewer window, click All Exams format button.
3. Adjust individual image visual settings and orientations.
4. Click the upper-left corner of each view containing an image to group.
OR
Click the upper-left corner of each view containing an image you want to
remove from the group.
OR
Press and hold CTRL and click the view you want to remove.
To switch to viewing only one volume for a patient:
Click All-Exams.
The Viewer window redisplays multiple volumes in the All-Exams form
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When you load multiple volumes, each volume may display different window and
level settings. Change the window and level settings for one view, for all views, or
for a group of views.
To change the window and level for one view on the All-Exams Viewer window:
1. With the views un-grouped, click WinLev or press W.
NOTE: Press and hold CTRL if the view is part of a group and you want to
change just this view.
2. Click and drag on one of the views.
The window and level change on the view where you drag the mouse.
To change window and level for all views:
1. With the views grouped, click WinLev or press W.
2. Click and drag in any of the views.
OR
Scrolling in a Single
Volume
Scroll in a single volume on the All-Exams Viewer window to view individual slices
in that volume.
To scroll in a single volume:
If the volume is part of a group and you want to scroll in just this volume,
press and hold CTRL, then right-click and drag mouse up or down.
OR
Press SHIFT+CTRL, then right-click and drag to scroll automatically through all
slices in the selected view. Press any mouse button or key on the keyboard to
stop continuous scrolling.
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Scrolling for 2D
Comparative Review
As you scroll through a group of multiple volumes, Vitrea displays the images
side-by-side at the same distance from the starting slices where you locked the
group.
NOTE: If you have grouped volumes with different lengths (with at least one
volume having more slices, thicker slices, or wider slice spacing than others),
depending on where you lock the group, the longest volume may continue to
scroll while other volumes stop scrolling at their last slice.
NOTE: Before you scroll for 2D comparative review of a group, create the group of
volumes to review.
Looking Closer
To look more closely at objects in 2D images, you can zoom in or out, or create
stacked images.
Changing
Magnification of 2D
Slices
When the Viewer window is in the Montage or All-Exams format, there are two
ways to change magnification:
Zooming in or out
Changing the number of slices displayed simultaneously
To increase magnification of 2D slices:
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Looking Closer
For the All-Exams Viewer window: The UP ARROW affects view cursor is
positioned over, plus other members of the group if that view is part of a
group.
To decrease magnification of 2D slices:
Select a Montage format with a larger number of slices (if you are viewing a
single volume).
OR
For the All-Exams Viewer window: The DOWN ARROW affects view cursor is
positioned over, plus other members of the group, if that view is part of a
group.
Creating Stacked
Images
Using the Slices to Stack area, create 2D images from average data values of up to
10 slices. This is useful when viewing a volume scanned using a very small slice
thickness. On the All-Exams Viewer window, the setting for Slices to Stack affects
all views, in a group or not.
NOTE: The Slices to Stack slider is available only when you are in a Montage or AllExams format on the Viewer window.
To create stacked slices:
Click and drag the Slices to Stack slider to the number of slices you want to
use in the stack.
The Viewer window displays images created from average data values of the
number of slices (up to 10) selected.
To display the location and data value of any point in stack:
Looking Closer
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Looking Closer
3D Imaging
This chapter contains information on:
Modes
Depending on what you want to do, you can switch between all currently available
modes in a 3D view. Some modes are not available in all situations.
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Description
Fly Around 3D Mode - To view the volume from the outside
Rotate around center:
Click and drag.
Pan:
Middle-click and drag.
Zoom:
Left + middle-click and drag.
Rotate 10 degrees:
Press any ARROW.
Rotate 90 degrees:
Press SHIFT + any ARROW.
Fly Through 3D Mode - To fly through the volume
Fly forward:
Right-click and drag down, roll mouse wheel down, or press NAV FWD [>].
Fly backward:
Right-click and drag up, roll mouse wheel up, or press NAV REV [<].
Fly forward with continuous assisted navigation:
Press SHIFT + NAV FWD [>].
Fly backward with continuous assisted navigation:
Press SHIFT + NAV REV [<].
Flip the view 180:
Press 180.
Rotate eyepoint:
Click and drag, or press any ARROW.
Point-of-Interest (POI) 3D Mode - To view small amount of image immediately surrounding
the current crosshair position
Expand or reduce visible portion around POI:
Right-click and drag up or down, or roll mouse wheel up or down.
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Description
Oblique Trim 3D Mode - To trim in an oblique plane
Switching Between 3D
View Modes
You can switch between all modes currently available in a 3D view. Some modes
are not available in all situations.
These rules determine when modes are available:
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Manipulating Images
Vitrea lets you look at images from any point of view, inside or outside the
volume. This section explains how to manipulate MPR images in all of these ways.
Image Orientation
Orientation of an image is the perspective from which you view it. Labels along
the sides of the image indicate image orientation: L (left), R (right), S (superior), I
(inferior), A (anterior), and P (posterior).
If an image is at an oblique angle, Vitrea displays labels that most closely match
each side of the image. For 3D views, you can display two additional orientation
indicators. They are the 3D box and 3D crosshairs.
3D Box
If the 3D box (yellow lines displayed around the volume) is displayed, you can see
if the volume is at an oblique angle, because none of the sides of the box lines up
squarely with the plane of the computer screen.
Using a 3D box is more useful in Fly Around mode, because your viewpoint is
outside the volume. In Fly Through mode, if your viewpoint is inside the volume,
the 3D box may not be visible.
FIGURE 1. 3D Box
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Manipulating Images
3D Crosshairs
Manipulating Images
The Orient: label in the lower-left corner of the 3D view displays the current
azimuth, elevation, and twist values. Rotate a volume with the mouse, with
function keys at the top of the keyboard, by using AutoRotation, or by specifying
exact azimuth, elevation, and twist values.
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In Fly Around mode, press these function keys to rotate the 3D view into
various orientations:
TABLE 2. 3D Orientation Function Keys
Function Key
Description
Orientation
S-I [F2]
180, 90, 0
I-S [F3]
0, -90, 0
A-P [F4]
0, 0, 0
P-A [F5]
-180, 0, 0
L-R [F6]
-90, 0, 0
R-L [F7]
90 , 0, 0
Oblique [F8]
Oblique view
40, 30, 0
Changing Orientation
with Arrow Keys
Rotate the volume to the right, left, up, or down using the arrow keys alone or with
SHIFT.
NOTE: When using the Fly Through format (with two 3D views and three MPR
views), using the arrow keys will change the lower volume, not the upper volume.
Press and hold SHIFT and press one of the ARROW keys to rotate the volume
by 90 degree increments (or as configured by your System Administrator).
Changing Rotation by
Typing Azimuth,
Elevation, and Twist
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Manipulating Images
90 Azimuth
(degrees rotated right or left of
vertical axis)
50 Elevation
(degrees tilted forward or
backward along horizontal axis)
60 Twist
(degrees tilted left or right of
horizontal axis)
typing one of the letters, no changes are made in the rotation. If the value
you type is out of range, an out of range message displays in the status
bar.
Manipulating Images
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Changing
Magnification
Maximizing and
Minimizing Views
Maximize a view to full-screen size, and later minimize it to its original size.
To maximize or minimize an image:
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Gallery window. The initial setting is determined by the view you chose. The width
of the field of view (in degrees) is listed in the menu for each view option.
NOTE: If you select Orthographic in the View Options menu, and you change a 3D
view to Fly Through mode, the View Options menu will automatically change to a
perspective option.
NOTE: If you change the field of view when you are in Fly Through mode, this
causes a large change in volume image size. Decreasing the field of view makes
the volume appear much larger. Similarly, increasing the field of view makes the
volume appear much smaller. If you later switch to Fly Around mode, the volume
image will remain the same size as it was in Fly Through mode.
Adjusting Image
Quality
On the Visual tab, adjust the image quality of 3D views. At 1, image quality is
good, and rendering speed is fast. At 5, image quality is the best Vitrea can
produce, but rendering speed is slower.
To adjust image quality:
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MPR Imaging
This chapter contains information on:
MPR Imaging
Using the MPR Border, Crosshair, and Orientation Labels
Displaying the MPR Imaging Modes
Scrolling in MPR Views
Looking Closer
MPR Imaging
With most 3D view format options, three Multi-Planar Reformatted (MPR) images
also display in the Viewer window, along with the 3D view(s). These MPR views
are sagittal, coronal, and axial. Positions of sagittal, coronal, and axial views on
the Viewer window depend on the Viewer window format.
When MPR views are in Orthogonal mode, each MPR image lies exactly in the
three orthogonal planes. In other MPR modes, this is not the case.
MPR Imaging
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orientation of the three MPR images, before you change their orientation.
Labels display along sides of the MPR views to show each views orientation.
These labels are: R (right), L (left), A (anterior), P (posterior), S (superior), and I
(inferior).
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Border
Crosshairs
Orientation Labels
Sagittal
Blue
A-P, S-I
Green
S-I, R-L
Red
A-P, R-L
Mode
Description
Orthogonal
The three MPR views display images in the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes.
The MPR views are created by reformatting original slices acquired by the
scanner into slices along these three planes.
Oblique
One or more MPR views displays the image in an oblique plane. This mode is
useful to see a feature that lies in a plane other than one of the orthogonal
planes.
EXAMPLE: Oblique MPR mode may be useful for viewing the Circle of Willis,
since these vessels lie in a plane at an angle to the axial plane.
Oblique MPR can also be used to display images in dynamically changing
planes when flying through a volume.
Click and drag the crosshairs on any MPR view to rotate the oblique angle.
OR
Press CTRL, then click and drag in the MPR view to rock the image on a pivot
point in the oblique plane.
Curved
One of the MPR views displays an image in an orthogonal plane. The other
two MPR views can display curved images. Define a curve on one MPR view
and the resulting image displays on another view.
NOTE: In order for the MPR views to display the correct orientations, the radiologic
technologist must enter accurate orientation information at the scanner console
when scanning each patient.
NOTE: If the data was acquired using gantry tilt, the sagittal view may have tilted
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Change arrangement of the Sagittal, Coronal, and Axial views on the Viewer
Window.
To change the arrangement of each MPR view:
Use Oblique MPR mode to display images in planes other than sagittal, coronal,
or axial.
In Oblique MPR mode, change orientation of the MPR views by rotating the
crosshairs in one or more of the MPR views, or by using the oblique angle
orientation tool.
To use Oblique MPR mode:
1. Click Crshair.
Optional Check 3D Crosshairs box in Display Options area to turn on the 3D
crosshairs in the 3D view.
2. Switch to the Oblique MPR mode.
3. In one of the MPR views, position cursor over either of the crosshairs,
anywhere except where they cross.
NOTE: This MPR view will remain in Orthogonal mode, and the other two
views will display images at oblique angles.
The cursor turns into two curved arrows.
4. Click and drag either of the crosshairs into a new position.
As you drag, the crosshairs rotate around their intersection point, staying
perpendicular to each other.
NOTE: You can rotate crosshairs in more than one MPR view. If you do
this, none of the MPR views will display images in an orthogonal plane.
Each MPR view can display images in any possible plane.
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In Curved MPR mode, use one of the MPR views to define a curve and display
curved images in another MPR view. This is useful to create an MPR image of a
curved area such as the spine. In Curved MPR, each of the three MPR views has a
different role.
Choose one view, called the reference view, to define the curve. In this
view, you change one of the crosshairs to follow along a curve.
The MPR view corresponding to the curved crosshair now displays curved
images.
The third MPR view, perpendicular to the view displaying the curved
images, displays an X at point where the curve intersects that view.
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In the Curved view, a short, straight line overlaps the Transverse line at
intersection of Centerline and Transverse line (now the beginning of the
curve). This line is the Measuring line.
5. In the Reference view, click along the curved area of interest to create a series
of short, connected lines that follow the curved feature. If necessary, scroll
the view to follow the area of interest.
A small box displays where you click, and the Curved line adjusts to include
this point.
The Curved view shows slices along the curve you defined, rather than in the
original plane for that MPR view.
EXAMPLE: Red indicates the axial plane. If you change the red crosshair
so it is no longer a straight line, this changes the image in the Curved
view (MPR view with red border). Now the Curved view displays an image
that is no longer in a plane. The Transverse view (the MPR view
perpendicular to the red crosshair) displays an X in each slice, to indicate
where the curve intersects that view. Corresponding lines in the 3D view
also change.
Optional To adjust the curve, click and drag any small boxes in the Reference
view curve to reposition them.
OR
Optional To adjust the curve, scroll through the Transverse view, then click
and drag the Xs in multiple slices to reposition them.
6. When you reach the end of the curved area of interest, click and drag the other
end of the crosshair to the end of the curve.
When you finish defining the curve, Vitrea displays:
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If you are in Fly Through mode and the eyepoint is inside a volume, crosshairs in
the MPR views reflect the current eyepoint. Whenever you fly to a new position
inside the volume, the MPR crosshairs change. As a result, the slices in each MPR
view also change.
NOTE: If MPR views are in oblique mode, flying through the volume changes
orientation of the planes, in addition to changing the point where the crosshairs
intersect.
Scrolling through a
Series of Slices
Scroll through slices in an MPR view. Doing this has no effect on other MPR views.
To move through slices in an MPR view:
1. Position cursor anywhere in MPR view you want to scroll through.
2. Hold down right mouse button and drag mouse up or down.
The MPR view moves up or down through the sequence of slices.
To autoscroll in an MPR view:
1. Press and hold SHIFT.
2. Right-click and drag, then release.
3. To stop scrolling, press any key or mouse button.
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Looking Closer
The way you change the magnification in MPR views is similar to the method for
zooming in on 3D views that are in Fly Around mode.
To increase or decrease magnification in MPR views:
1. Click Crshair.
2. Position cursor on image.
3. Left + middle-click and drag up or down.
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Looking Closer
Basic Procedures
This chapter contains information on:
Change window and level settings to exact values by typing new values.
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To make the window wider or narrower, click and drag left or right.
To adjust the level up or down, click and drag up or down.
To change both window and level at once, click and drag diagonally.
NOTE: To change the window /level in the 3D view, click, pause until the
Using Predefined
Window Level Settings
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2. Select New...
The New 2D/MPR Window/Level Preset dialog box displays.
FIGURE 2. New Window/Level Setting Dialog Box
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6. In the With the following field, the current preset name defaults, followed by
an asterisk. Do one of the following:
To give the new setting a different name, type the new name over the
existing name, then click Save.
OR
message displays.
1. In the Select 2D/MPR Window/Level Setting list, click the custom setting you
want to delete.
2. Click Delete.
A warning dialog box displays.
3. Click Yes to delete the window/level setting.
OR
Key settings display as bolded in the Window/Level dropdown menu. You can use
key window/level settings to quickly view an area of interest at a different setting.
EXAMPLE: If you are flying through a colon, you can quickly toggle between key
settings to identify the presence of air in an area of interest.
To scroll between key window/level settings:
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Check the Link MPR / 3D box to simultaneously adjust the window/level settings
for the 3D and MPR views.
To link window and level adjustments in 3D and MPR views:
Measurement Accuracy
Line segments displayed on the screen are measured in the same units used by
the scanner. If the scanner uses millimeters, ruler measurement are displayed in
mm. Angles are displayed in degrees.
To reduce the margin of error introduced when you create measurements:
Pay attention to the zoom factor you apply to the image. The more you
zoom in on the image before creating the measurement, the more
accurate the measurement will be.
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When measuring 3D volumes using the Surface tool, after you click Sculpt,
and Vitrea calculates the volumetric measurement, the measurement is no
longer related to the defined contour lines. The volume after sculpting is the
sum of the visible voxels contained in the sculpted region of the volume. For
more information about this, see Displaying Measurements for Visible Data
Inside a 3D Surface.
Drawing Rulers
You can add rulers to images on the Viewer window with the Ruler button. A ruler
can be a single line segment or a series of connected line segments. A ruler
composed of a single line segment shows the length of that line segment.
When you add a ruler to an MPR image, it is not embedded in the 3D image. You
can draw rulers directly in the 3D image. For rulers in 3D images, the endpoints of
each segment of the ruler are embedded in the first non-transparent part of the
volume under the cursor. Rotate the volume after adding the ruler to verify that
you put the ruler where you wanted it in 3D space.
NOTE: Physically measuring images on the monitor will not produce accurate
You can add simple rulers composed of a single line segment or rulers composed
of multiple line segments. Once you add rulers, be sure to check their placement.
You can also delete rulers, one at a time or in groups.
To draw a simple ruler in MPR views:
1. Click Ruler, or press R.
The cursor changes to indicate Ruler mode.
2. Position the cursor where you want the ruler to start.
3. Click to start the ruler.
4. Drag the cursor to where you want the ruler to end and release.
Vitrea displays the measurement.
To draw a simple ruler in 3D views:
NOTE: Vital Images recommends you perform linear measurments on 2D or MPR
views only. Measurements in 3D views are reserved for surface area and volume.
1. Click Ruler, or press R.
If necessary, rotate the 3D view to find the position you want to measure.
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If the ruler is not measuring what you wanted, delete it and redraw the ruler.
To draw a multi-segment ruler in MPR or 3D views:
1. Click Ruler, or press R.
The cursor changes to indicate Ruler mode.
If necessary, rotate the 3D view to find the position you want to measure.
2. Position the cursor where you want the ruler to start.
3. Click and release to start the ruler.
If you drawing a ruler on a 3D view, pause until the cursor changes to indicate
Ruler mode.
4. Position the cursor where you want the first line segment to end, and click.
5. Repeat from step 4 to draw as many ruler segments as necessary.
6. Double-click to end of the last segment.
Vitrea displays the combined measurement of all segments and the angle
measurements between each segment.
If you are drawing a ruler on a 3D view, rotate the volume in several directions
to confirm the ruler was placed where you expected it.
CAUTION: Under certain conditions, the position you select for a ruler point may
fall in space or elsewhere rather than on the expected position.
If the ruler is not measuring what you wanted, delete it and redraw it.
To delete one or more rulers in MPR or Montage views:
1. Click Ruler, or press R.
The cursor changes to indicate Ruler mode.
2. Click ruler you want to delete.
The ruler changes color to indicate it is selected.
3. Click any additional rulers you want to delete.
OR
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active.
Measuring 2D and 3D
Regions of Interest
MPR mode, the measurement information displays automatically after you draw
the contour.
To measure the area inside a contour line:
1. On the Analysis tab, click either Free (or press F) or Ellipse (or press E), then:
a
Free - Click and drag along the border of the region to draw a freehand
contour line.
Ellipse - Click and drag over the region to draw an oval contour line.
2. Click Measure.
3. Click anywhere on the image containing the contour line.
The first line of information displays the average Hounsfield unit value (for CT
studies) or signal intensity value (for MR studies) and the standard deviation
for the region inside the contour line. The second line displays the area
inside the contour line.
Optional T o see measurements for a different contour line, display another
MPR image or Montage slice that contains a contour line, click Measure, then
click the image.
4. To edit a contour line, click and drag along its border to reshape it, or from the
middle to move it.
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To turn off the display of measurements for the area inside a contour line:
1. Click Measure.
2. Click any MPR or Montage image that currently displays measurements for a
contour.
Measuring Contrast
Intensity in Hounsfield
Units
You can display the contrast intensity for a given point, displayed on the Viewer
window.
To measure for contrast intensity in Hounsfield units:
1. Click Crshair, or press H.
2. Click and hold in an MPR view.
The coordinates and the Hounsfield unit measurement display near the
crosshair position and in the lower right corner of the view.
Displaying the
Reference Scale
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You can gauge the size of a region of interest by displaying the reference scale in
the 2D or MPR views. Each increment on the scale equals one centimeter.
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To measure the volume of a 3D region of interest, you first define the region and
display a surface.
The type of information you see when you request a 3D measurement depends on
whether you are measuring surface area and volume (measured in cc) of a region,
or the amount of non-transparent, opaque data (measured in cc) within a surface.
To define and display a surface:
1. Select the Analysis tab.
2. In a Montage or MPR view, scroll to find the beginning point of the region of
interest.
3. Click Free or press F.
4. Draw a contour around the region of interest, following the border.
5. Scroll a few slices, then repeat step 4
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If the contour lines Vitrea drew do not define the region as you anticipated,
adjust or move them as needed, then click Surface again.
Displaying
Measurements for a 3D
Surface
You can measure the surface area and the total amount of space (measured in cc)
within a 3D region of interest.
To display measurements for a surface:
1. Define and display a surface as described above.
2. Click Measure.
3. Click in the 3D view where you want the measurement results to display.
NOTE: If you previously displayed 3D measurements for the volume
image, you do not have to click the image. The measurements will
display as soon as you click Measure.
The following measurements display:
Displaying
Measurements for
Visible Data Inside a
3D Surface
You can display the number of cubic centimeters of non-transparent data that are
visible in the volume by using segmentation to display just the portion of a
volume that is inside a surface. This number will not include any data that is
completely transparent.
NOTE: If you change the window/level or transparency settings, you may change
the number of voxels that are visible. This means that measurements done before
and after such a change will be different.
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Turn off the display of 3D measurements the same way you display them.
To turn off the display of 3D measurements:
Measuring in Curved
MPR Mode
You can display the following measurements when you create a curve in Curved
MPR mode:
ends of curved crosshair as you create the curve by clicking and dragging
them into new positions. This way, you limit your measurements to the
area of interest.
2. In the Reference MPR view (where you see the curved centerline), find the
section of the curve you want to measure.
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Transverse Line
Adding Arrows to
Images
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Measuring Line
Add arrows to draw attention to features of interest. Draw arrows in any images in
the Viewer window. If you draw an arrow in an MPR image, it also displays as an
arrow embedded in the 3D view(s).
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If you save an image that contains an arrow, the arrow will be included in the
snapshot.
To draw an arrow:
1. Click Arrow, or press M.
The cursor changes to indicate Arrow mode.
2. Click and drag from where you want to start the arrow to where you want to
end it, then release the mouse button.
NOTE: To draw an arrow in the 3D view, click, pause until the cursor
changes to indicate Arrow mode, then drag.
If you drew the arrow in the 3D view, that view displays the arrow and the MPR
views re-render. If a particular MPR image intersects the arrow, part of the
arrow displays in that MPR image.
If you drew the arrow in an MPR image, all volumes re-render with an arrow
embedded in them. If you drew the arrow in a Montage image, and later
change to a Viewer window format that includes 3D views, the arrow will be
embedded in the volumes. The crosshair changes position to the nearest
point of tissue directly ahead of the arrow tip.
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You can type text directly onto any image in the Viewer window. You can label
features of interest, by typing or selecting from a list of predefined terms, and you
can create an arrowtation by adding a small arrow to the corner of a label.
To add a label to an image:
1. Click Label, or press L.
The cursor changes to indicate Label mode.
2. Click the image where you want to place the label.
A dictionary of pre-defined annotations displays.
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If you want to leave space between words in a label, use the SPACEBAR
instead of TAB.
When you insert a label or arrowtation on an MPR or 2D view, the label
displays in the 3D view until you delete it or hide it.
To use a keyboard accelerator for another button immediately after
typing the label, press CTRL + the appropriate key.
To get out of label mode and be able to rotate the 3D view, click another
tool button.
When you insert a label or arrowtation on a 3D view, the label displays in
the 3D view only and it deletes when you rotate, zoom, maximize or
otherwise change position of the 3D view.
When you take a snapshot of an image that includes text and arrows, the
snapshot will include the text and arrow information when transferred to the
Report window.
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Click the dropdown arrow in the Font area and select a font.
Click the dropdown arrow in the Size area and select a size.
Click the dropdown arrow in the Color area and select a color.
Type in the Text box. Type over the annotation you already typed, or type
more text after it.
NOTE: To enter multiple lines of text, press ENTER at the end of each line.
The text prompt moves to a new line where you may enter more text.
Click the dropdown arrow in the Predefined Annotations area and select
a word.
4. When you are finished editing the annotation properties, click OK.
To move a label to a new position:
1. Click Label, or press L.
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Displaying Patient
Information
You can control whether or not patient information displays on all views in the
Viewer window by checking or clearing the Patient Info box in the Slice Options
area in the lower left part of the Viewer window.
To display patient information:
Press CTRL-I.
Patient Information displays on all views.
To hide patient information:
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Press CTRL-I.
Patient Information is removed from view.
Saving Images
When the images are displayed the way you want them in the Viewer window, you
can save them for use in reports, or export them to a DICOM image server by
taking a snapshot.
NOTE: If you plan to use a report format that uses one image per page, and you
want the highest quality of images in your report, display the images in a 1-up
view before you capture them. If you plan to use a report format that uses several
images per page, the size of the image at the time you capture it has less effect on
the image quality in the report.
EXAMPLE: For a volume image, switch to the Viewer window format that
has a single volume image.
NOTE: Vital Images recommends that you limit the number of snapshots to 100
Taking Snapshots
The Snapshot tool saves the image to the Report window for use in creating
reports, and also to the Windows clipboard. You can paste the image from the
clipboard into any MS Word or Notepad document.
NOTE: Be sure no pop-up windows or dialog boxes block the view when you save
NOTE: You can also print Montage images directly from the Viewer window.
To save an image:
1. Click Snap, or press S.
The cursor changes to look like a camera.
2. Click the image you want to save.
The image is saved to the Findings Tray on the Report window.
To save multiple images:
1. Click Snap, or press S.
The cursor changes shape to look like a camera.
2. Press and hold ALT.
3. Click an image you want to save. Do NOT release ALT.
The cursor will continue to look like a camera. You can capture images as long
as you hold ALT.
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Saving Images
Place them in a report to print for your files or post to the Intranet.
Save the patient volume and associated DICOM series to a CD or DVD.
Restoring Saved
Images (Workflows)
From the Report window, you can restore a snapshot for the currently loaded
volume to the Viewer window. Or, from the Study Directory, restore a Snapshot for
an unloaded volume directly from the Preview pane. Use this feature to return to a
saved image for further investigation of a region of interest.
When you restore a saved image to the Viewer window, images of the patient
volume and state of the Viewer window are both restored, or your workflow,
when the image was saved, including:
Saving Images
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volume only. If you try to restore a snapshot from a volume that is not currently
loaded, you will be prompted to load the volume first.
1. On the Report window, select the snapshot thumbnail from the Findings tray,
and click Restore.
The Viewer window opens, with images displayed with visualizations settings
as they were at the time of the snapshot.
2. To restore rulers, annotations, contour lines or surfaces saved with the
snapshot, click the applicable button(s) or keyboard accelerator (Ruler (R),
Label (L), Free (F), Ellipse (E), or Surface).
NOTE: Annotations made on 3D views will not restore.
3. To restore measurements in 3D views:
a
Click Surface.
Click Measure.
Click in the 3D view where you want the measurement results to display.
On the Study Directory, select applicable patient volume from the Query/
CD List.
1. On the Study Directory, select the patient volume from the Patient List.
2. Under the Preview pane, select Show Snapshots.
3. In the Preview pane, select the snapshot to restore.
4. Click Restore Snapshot.
The Viewer window opens, with images displayed with visualizations settings
the way they were at the time of the snapshot.
5. Follow the previous procedure to restore measurements, annotations, contour
lines, surfaces, or measurments in 3D views.
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2. If the printer you want to use is not already selected, select it.
If there is more than one of a type of printer shown, your System
Administrator can tell you which printer is associated with each name.
Optional To print one or a range of slices:
a
Optional To enter a number of copies other than 1, enter a new number in the
Copies field or click the up arrow.
3. Click Print.
You can export 2D views directly to other workstations or DICOM devices on the
network.
To export slices from the 2D View window:
1. On the Visual tab, click DICOM Export.
The DICOM Export dialog box displays.
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2. In the DICOM server list, if the target device or server name is not selected,
select it.
Optional To export images in color, clear Force Conversion to Monochrome?
box.
Optional To export all images in secondary DICOM format, check Export all
images as Secondary Capture? box.
Optional To export a range of slices instead of all slices, in the Export Slices
area:
a
Select From.
To skip slices within the range, enter the slice increment in the third field.
EXAMPLE: To export every fifth slice between slices 1 and 1000, enter 1,
1000, and 5 in these fields.
3. Click Export.
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Trimming Images
By trimming, you can isolate areas of interest in MPR and 3D images. Use the Trim
button to trim along the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes, or use the Oblique
Trim box to trim along an oblique plane.
NOTE: It is possible to trim away a part of the volume that contains
When you trim a volume, you remove data from view but not from the stored
volume. You can always redisplay the complete volume.
Trimming along
Orthogonal Planes with
the Trim button
110
Use the Trim button to quickly trim a volume along sagittal, coronal, or axial
planes. You can trim in one or more MPR views.
FIGURE 14. Renal Volume before Trimming
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Trimming Images
NOTE: If MPR views are in Oblique MPR mode, and you use the Trim button, the
volume is trimmed along orthogonal planes, not along oblique planes displayed
in the MPR views. To trim the volume along an oblique plane, use the Oblique
Trim feature.
To trim data from an image:
1. Click Trim, or press T.
A yellow trim box displays in all MPR views.
2. In an MPR, move the cursor over any side or corner of the trim box.
The cursor changes to a star shape.
3. Click and drag in from the edge.
NOTE: If you position the cursor outside the trim box, the cursor displays
as a circle with a slash through it. You cannot use the Trim tool outside
the trim box.
The 3D view and the other MPR images change to reflect the trim.
Trimming Images
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Trimming on an
Oblique Plane
Trimming along orthogonal planes does not always reveal the image you want. So
you can also trim a volume along an oblique plane.
NOTE: If the feature you want to see would be visible in an oblique 2D image, it
may be easier to create oblique MPR images than to trim the volume along an
oblique plane. However, if you want to see a volume that is trimmed obliquely,
you must use Oblique Trim as described in this section.
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Trimming Images
Trimming Images
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Right-click and drag the oblique trim plane closer to you or farther away.
The new plane position is parallel to its old position.
Click and drag to rotate the oblique trim plane around the point indicated
by the yellow cross.
NOTE: If you move or rotate the oblique trim plane, you cannot undo your
action with the Undo button or the UNDO key.
Use the middle mouse to drag the yellow cross to move the axis of
rotation to another point within the current oblique trim plane.
NOTE: You cannot drag the axis of rotation outside the current oblique
trim plane or outside the volume limits. If clicking and dragging with the
middle mouse has no effect, it is because you are trying to go beyond
one of these limits.
NOTE: If you reposition the oblique trim plane, clear Oblique Trim box,
then check it again, the plane will redisplay in its previous position, not
necessarily through the center of the volume and parallel to the plane of
the screen.
To display the trimmed portion in the upper 3D view:
1. Click the Fly Through Viewer window format button (second 3D format button
from upper left corner of Viewer window).
The Viewer window changes to Fly Through format.
2. Trim the volume with Oblique Trim.
3. Click mode button in lower right corner of upper 3D view until icon changes to
Reverse View.
The upper 3D view shows what you trimmed from the lower volume.
To redisplay the full volume after using Oblique Trim:
Sculpting
Sculpting is a way of viewing part and removing other parts of a volume. You can
sculpt 2D or 3D images. You can also use sculpting to display measurements of
3D and 2D regions of interest.
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Sculpting
Some buttons on the Analysis tab are the same as buttons on the Visual tab. In
addition, you use these buttons to perform image sculpting:
TABLE 1. Analysis Tab Sculpting Buttons
Button
Keyboard
Accelerator
E
Description
Add Contours - Click Ellipse (or press E) or Free (or press F), then click
and drag in the view.
Edit Contours - Click Ellipse (or press E) or Free (or press F), then put
cursor over contour, and click and drag in the view.
Delete Contours - Click contour, then press BACKSPACE or DELETE.
performed.
Display Surface (after multiple contour lines are drawn) - Click Surface,
then review all contours in MPR views, and edit if needed.
NOTE: Not available for Curved or Oblique MPR, gantry tilt, or off-axis
acquisitions.
Sculpt Region Inside or Outside Surface (after contour lines are drawn) Select Include or Exclude:
Include: make area inside surface visible (included) and area
outside surface invisible
Exclude: make area inside surface invisible (excluded) and area
outside surface visible, then:
Click Sculpt.
NOTE: Not available for Curved or Oblique MPR, gantry tilt, or off-axis
acquisitions.
Display Measurements for a Region (after regions are created) - Click
Measure, then click the view.
Sculpting 3D Images
To perform 3D sculpting:
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volume. Allow a margin between the contour line and the anatomical
area so the area of interest is included or excluded in the 3D segment.
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Sculpting
Sculpting
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Sculpting 2D or MPR
Images
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Sculpting
Reviewing 2D or MPR
Contour Lines
To verify the contour lines Vitrea created contain the region you wanted to define,
check them. Especially for more complex regions, you may need to revise some of
the contours.
Contour lines Vitrea creates are displayed as light, thin lines in the Montage or
MPR views. Scroll through the Montage or MPR views to see which ones contain
light, thin contour lines.
To review contour lines:
Editing 2D or MPR
Contour Lines
Revise 2D or MPR contour lines by clicking on and dragging their borders. If you
used the Ellipse tool to draw a contour line, the line starts out as an ellipse, but
you can edit it into any shape.
To edit contour lines:
1. Scroll through a Montage or MPR view to find the inaccurate contour line.
2. Position the cursor on the contour line.
The cursor changes to a pencil.
3. Click and drag the contour line to the new position.
4. Click Sculpt to display the revised surface.
Sculpting
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Sculpting
Sculpting Multiple
Regions in MPR Views
Sculpting
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Sculpting
Selecting Visibility
Options for
Segmentation
Visibility Options on the Analysis tab control how images display in region
segmentation. The visibility options set by default depend on the protocol used.
To adjust segmented region visibility:
On the Sculpt tab in the Object Visibility area, click one of these options:
Transparent Background: To view the foreground only. The background
(removed, excluded region) is invisible.
If you selected the Exclude sculpting option, you can see everything
except what you excluded.
If you selected the Include sculpting option, you can see only what you
included.
Sculpting
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Showing Segmentation
in MPR Views
Use the Show Seg on MPR (Show Segmentation) box on the Analysis tab to make
the MPR views reflect results of any segmentation done in the 3D views.
When the Show Seg on MPR box is checked, MPR views also show the results of
any segmentation done in the 3D view.
Regions that display in the MPR views are also affected by these Object Visibility
options:
Careful planning will help you achieve a sequence of images that meets your
expectations.
Tips for planning your image sequence, for both image batches and movies:
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Decide which Vitrea settings reveal important features you want to show.
Begin your image sequence with a familiar frame of reference for the
audience.
EXAMPLE: If the audience can easily recognize a part of the anatomy from
a certain angle, you can start with the view at that angle and then rotate
the volume and zoom in as needed to focus on a region of interest.
Plan the sequence of images to convey the story you want to tell.
Make smooth transitions; avoid changing too much at once.
NOTE: Be sure no pop-up windows or dialog boxes block the view when you save
batches and movies as those will be captured as well.
To create a batch of the images in one view, use any of these Viewer window
formats:
2D Montage or 1-up 2D
MPR Volume
1-up Volume
Fly Through
Output Control
Once you have defined all the images for the batch or movie, you can control the
interval between images and the number of images.
The Step Size slider indicates the interval between images in a batch. Vitrea
automatically calculates a value that you can adjust.
These rules define the Vitrea-calculated value for the Step Size slider:
For a 2D Montage batch, the step size equals the number of slices
between images.
For an MPR batch, the step size is the distance scrolled, in millimeters,
through actual slices, interpolated slices, or a combination.
For a 3D view batch, the step size equals the sum of the distances
covered by each rotation in degrees.
The Number of Images slider indicates the number of images for the batch or
digital movie. Vitrea automatically calculates a value that you can adjust.
When using 2D Montage format, the Number of Images equals the number of
actual slices, including starting and ending slices plus the slices in between.
When using MPR Volume, Volume, or Fly Through format, this number equals the
actual and interpolated slices.
NOTE: The Number of Images value and the Step Size value are inversely
related to one another: as the step size decreases, the number of images
increases.
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If you create a batch in an axial view, the grid displays in both sagittal
and coronal views.
If you create a batch in a sagittal view, a grid displays in the axial and
coronal view.
If you make adjustments to the number of images or the step size, the crossreference grid adjusts to match the changed values.
The red line in the cross-reference grid indicates the current position of the
image. As you scroll in the MPR view you used to create the batch, the red line
moves through the cross-reference MPR views as you scroll.
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Use the Viewer window to set up the Viewer window format and orient images to
include in the movie. Use the Batch tab tools to select starting and ending
images, and the number of slices to capture in between.
For MPR image batches, you can create a manual batch. Or, you can use a scripted
batch, which creates a scrolling batch based on Vitrea predefined settings.
To create a Montage or manual MPR batch:
1. Set up the Viewer window the way you want the images displayed in the batch.
2. Select the Batch tab.
The Start button is automatically selected.
3. Click the first image you want to capture.
A checkmark is placed on the image.
The Start button is unavailable and the End button is available.
NOTE: You cannot return to the Viewer window without clearing the
current batch.
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change the slider values. The grid can help you decide whether the slices
properly capture the regions of interest.
Optional To remove patient information from the batch images, clear Patient
Info box in the Output Control area.
Optional If you make a mistake, click Clear to start over again.
NOTE: You can do this at any point in the process.
6. Click Batch.
The batch displays in a preview window, and it is automatically saved on the
Report window.
Optional To print the batch, click Print.
To create a scripted MPR batch:
1. Set up the Viewer window the way you want the images displayed in the batch.
2. Select the Batch tab.
3. In the Scripted Batch area, under MPR Scroll, select one of these options:
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Creating 3D Image
Batches
For 3D image batches, create a manual batch by selecting the desired starting,
intermediate, and ending images. Vitrea adds images to the batch to create
smooth transitions between starting, intermediate, and ending images.
Or, use a scripted batch, which creates a rotating batch based on Vitrea
predefined settings.
To create a custom 3D image batch:
1. Select desired settings or display options on the Visual tab.
2. Select the Batch tab.
The Start button is automatically selected.
3. To capture intermediate images manually:
a
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Repeat steps b and c until you capture all desired intermediate images.
OR
Change the volume image position until you reach the end position.
NOTE: Change the volume position slowly enough for Vitrea to render the
image at each new orientation. Be sure a check mark displays before you
change the orientation.
4. Click End.
A check mark briefly displays on the image in the batch, and the End button
becomes unavailable.
Optional To change the number of images, click and drag the Number of
Images slider.
Optional To change the step size degrees, click and drag the Step Size slider.
NOTE: The Number of Images and Step Size sliders are not available if
you check the Auto 3D Via Points box.
Optional To remove patient information from the batch images, clear Patient
Info box in the Output Control area.
Optional If you make a mistake, click Clear to start over again.
NOTE: You can do this at any point in the process.
5. Click Batch.
The batch displays in a preview window, and it is automatically saved on the
Report window.
Optional To print the batch, click Print.
To create a scripted 3D image batch:
1. Set up the 3D view the way you want the image displayed in the batch.
2. Select the Batch tab.
3. In the Scripted Batch area, under 3D Rotation, select:
180 (1/2) rotation - to create batch of images rotating 180 degrees from
current volume orientation
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Full 360 rotation - to create batch of images rotating 360 degrees from
current volume orientation, or one full rotation
4. In the Direction area, click the left, right, up, or down arrow button, to
designate direction in which volume should rotate throughout the batch.
Optional To remove patient information from the batch images, clear Patient
Info box in Output Control area.
Optional If you make a mistake, click Clear to start over again.
5. Click Batch.
The batch displays in a preview window, and it is automatically saved on the
Report window.
Optional To print the batch, click Print.
Creating Batches of
Images for Multiple
Volumes
A batch cannot contain images from more than one volume. However, you can
create individual batches consecutively for all volumes displayed on the AllExams Viewer window.
From the All-Exams Viewer window, you can create a batch using one of the
multiple volumes displayed on the window. To create the batch using Montage,
MPR, or 3D view formats, switch to a 2D or 3D Viewer window format, either
before or after switching to the Batch tab.
To create a batch from the All-Exams Viewer window:
1. In the All-Exams Viewer window, click the volume you want to use to create the
batch.
NOTE: A batch must consist of images from only one volume. Also, while
If you were using a 3D Viewer window format, click the All-Exams Viewer
window format button.
3. Click a different volume to create the next batch.
After creating a batch of images, you can print them directly from the Batch tab.
Using print formats available from the Batch tabs Print dialog box, you can print
images only, without headings and comments.
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Creating a Digital
Movie
To make a digital movie, you follow the same procedure for creating a batch. You
can select the movie quality or size settings and choose the playback mode.
NOTE: You cannot run other applications or move or minimize the window while
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To set the movie to play from start to finish, then back to start, check
Swing box.
To save the movie settings for use every time you create a movie, check
Save Movie Settings as default box.
Click OK.
2. Click Movie.
As the movie is created, a preview window plays the movie.
NOTE: The movie speed as it plays in the preview window is not an
accurate representation of the final movie speed. Depending on movie
settings you selected, the actual movie may play back faster or slower
than the preview.
3. Select the Report tab.
The Report window displays.
The thumbnail for the digital movie shows a film icon and a movie reel
symbol in the lower right corner.
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a Findings list which allows you to filter the whole list of snapshots to review
and select based upon workflow,
tools for selecting snapshots, working with snapshots, adding pages to the
report, and working with reports.
Report Window
Workflow Overview
1. On the Viewer window, take snapshots, create movies, and make batches to
include in your report.
2. Select the Report tab.
3. Review the snapshots, movies, and batches in the Findings tray.
Optional Export snapshots or batches to a DICOM or PACS device.
4. Select a template and click New Report.
To return to the saved report, restore the latest snapshot for the
study from the Study Directory.
NOTE: Restoring the latest snapshot for the study will ensure that autopopulated entries from the Viewer window will match the state of the
original report.
Optional If the study has multiple series that are processed using different
protocols (such as a cardiac study with calcium scoring, function, and
coronary review), click Save to save the report before switching protocols.
7. Publish the report (Print, Intranet Post, Word Report).
8. Export or archive the study with the report.
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Report Window
Buttons
5
6
9
7
Callout
Number
136
11
10
Description
Findings list
Filtering buttons
Findings Tray
Template Layouts
Report page
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Findings List
Name
Use
Load in
external
browser link
Findings List
Show Not
Reported
Show
Reported
Import
Restore
Delete
Export
Add All
Page.
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Name
Use
New Report
Insert Before
Insert After
Append Page
Restore
Select
Click this button, then click the report pane to select it.
Label
Click this button, then click the report pane. Type the label in
the text box, then click OK.
To remove the label, click it then click X.
Arrow
Click this button, then click and drag in the report pane.
To remove an arrow from pane, click it.
Previous Page
Next Page
First Page
Last Page
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Name
Use
Delete Page
Remove
Image
Undo
Redo
DCM Print
Snapshots
Intranet Post
Click to post the report to the intranet, for later viewing using
the Review window.
Word Report
DICOM Export
Burn CD/DVD
ViTALConnect
The snapshots you saved in the Viewer window are saved to the findings tray of
the Report window. You can preview them, use them to restore workflow, or add
them to a report.
The Findings list to the left of the Report window lists the snapshots, batches, and
movies under protocol specific or application criteria. Use the Findings list or the
Snapshot Filtering buttons to filter snapshots in the tray.
To preview a snapshot:
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CAUTIONS
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Report Formats
The Report window includes several templates for specific reports with headings
and text boxes appropriate for the protocol you choose. Single page image
layouts are also included to create or add to your report. Use the Templates area
to select a report template and layout.
To select a report template or layout:
In the Templates area, select the desired report format option, then select the
outcome of the layout:
New Report
Insert Page Before
Insert Page After
Append Page
Report page on right side of window changes to selected format.
If you placed images on this report page, they will be included in the new
format:
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If the new format has room for more images than the old one, any images
already placed on this page will have the new format, and extra frames
are left blank.
If the new format has room for fewer images than already on the page,
the page will display only as many as the new format has space for. Any
other images displayed on the old format will not be displayed.
FIGURE 28. Generic Report Template
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the report headings, if any, will identify the volume you loaded most recently. It
may be important to identify which images came from which volume. See
Including Snapshots from Multiple Volumes on One Report for instructions.
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Click Save.
To restore a saved draft of a report:
Click Restore.
NOTE: Any findings that Vitrea populates into a report template (such as for
Coronary Arteries, Calcium Scoring, Cardiac Function, or Lung Nodules) are not
saved and restored. Vitrea will re-populate the findings that are currently on the
Viewer window. To be sure that the auto-populated areas contain the correct
information, restore the latest snapshot for that study from the Study Directory.
Labeling Features of
Interest in a Report
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When all frames of a report page are occupied by images and you want to include
more report images, add additional report pages.
To add a page to the report:
You can print reports to a PostScript or DICOM printer directly from the Report
window, or post reports to the Intranet for viewing on this or other Vitrea
workstations.
NOTE: DICOM printing is for images only. To include comments in a printed report,
print it to a PostScript printer.
To print a report:
Generating Word
Reports
You can copy the contents of your report into Microsoft Word format. This is useful
if you want to share the report with a non-Vitrea user.
To copy a report into Microsoft Word:
1. Click Word Report.
Microsoft Word launches a new Word document.
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by Vitrea.
Archiving a Report to
CD or DVD
You can save reports and images from the Report window to CD or DVD. The report
is saved in the page layout dictated by the CD report template.
NOTE: Vitrea software is installed with a standard CD report template, which you
can customize with your sites address, header, footer, logo, and any other
boilerplate text or graphics desired. For help customizing your CD report
template, contact your System Administrator.
To archive the report to a CD or DVD:
1. Insert a blank CD or DVD in the drive.
NOTE: If you are using a DVD, be sure it is in DVD+R or DVD+RW format. The drive
To record DICOM image files in addition to report files, check the DICOM files
box.
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Viewing a Report
Saved to CD
When you load a CD or DVD containing a report, the Report CD index page
displays. The page contains a link to the saved report. If the DICOM Files box was
checked, the page contains links to both the Vitrea Report and Scan Data.
To open/view a report saved to CD or DVD:
Windows XP, do this by clicking Start, My Computer, and then doubleclicking the icon for the CD -ROM drive), and double-click autorun.exe.
Exporting Report
Images to a DICOM
Server
If your Vitrea workstation is set up for exporting images to a DICOM server, you
can create a report and export primary or secondary images in the report to the
server.
NOTE: It does not matter which Report format you use. When the images are sent
to the image server, they will be sent as individual images, not as images on the
pages of a report.
NOTE: You can export multiple-volume snapshots to another Vitrea workstation.
However, the workflow (arrows, rulers, annotations, etc.) for only the volume(s)
visible when the snapshot was saved will restore properly on the other
workstation. Vitrea will load all the associated volumes, but the workflows for the
volumes not visible when the snapshot was saved will not be available for
restore.
To export the report to a DICOM server:
1. Click DICOM Export.
The DICOM Export dialog box displays.
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NOTE: The server list includes all DICOM image servers the Vitrea workstation can
access. It also includes all DICOM servers or scanners from which the Vitrea
workstation can receive data using Query/Retrieve. However, you cannot export
images to these servers unless they are also set up as image servers.
2. Select the image server to which you want to send images.
Optional To preserve color images for exporting, clear Force Conversion to
Monochrome? box.
NOTE: If you clear this box, Vitrea will leave it cleared by default.
3. Click Export.
A confirmation message displays in the status bar.
NOTE: Some images, including those in Orthogonal and Oblique MPR
Reviewing a Batch of
Images on the Report
Window
After you create a batch of images from the Batch tab of the Viewer window, the
batch automatically displays as a thumbnail in the Findings Tray on the Report
window. You can review the batch for further analysis.
To review a batch of images on the Report window:
1. Click the batch thumbnail.
2. To view the individual images in the batch, right-click and drag on the image
or roll the mouse wheel.
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Including Snapshots
from Multiple Volumes
on One Report
After you place snapshots from one volume for a patient on a report, you can
return to the Study Directory, load a new volume for the SAME patient ID, take
snapshots, and place them on the same report. This allows you to include images
from different volumes in the same report for comparison purposes.
CAUTION: If you include images from more than one volume for the same patient,
the report headings, if any, will identify the volume you loaded most recently. It
may be important to identify which images came from which volume.
To associate the images with the corresponding volumes:
study, so when you are ready to create a report, all snapshots saved for
volumes or series within the study are available in the Findings Tray if
you want to associate them with the report. If you load a different study
(patient) or restart Vitrea, the Findings Tray clears, then starts
accumulating snapshots for the next loaded study. This prevents you
from accidentally placing images from different patients into the same
report.
allow posted reports to be viewed from other workstations. If so, contact your
System Administrator for instructions on viewing reports from other workstations.
Reviewing a Posted
Report
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3. Click Search.
A list of reports displays.
Reports are identified by patient's name, date, and time the report was
created.
4. Click review next to the patient name for the report you want to review.
The report displays.
5. If the report contains more than one page, to display other pages, click Next
Page or Previous Page buttons in lower-right corner of window.
6. To return to viewing images in Vitrea, select the appropriate tab.
NOTE: Reports you post on the Vitrea workstation can also be viewed
from other workstations if your System Administrator has set this up.
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Workstation Selection
and Shared Reporting
The Review window can be customized for workstation selection so you can view
reports from any of your sites Vitrea workstations. By default, only reports posted
on the current workstation are accessible.
NOTE: For information about customizing the Review window for workstation
Printing a Posted
Report
even if you use a report format with space for comments and type
comments on the report. DICOM printing can handle images onlynot
text. To include comments in a printed report, print the report using a
PostScript printer.
Deleting a Posted
Report
You can delete posted reports when you no longer need them.
To delete a posted report:
1. Display the Review window.
2. Click delete next to the report you want to delete.
3. Click OK.
To go back to the list of reports without deleting this report, click Cancel.
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Fine-Tuning Images
This chapter contains information on:
Fine-Tuning Overview
Applying Lighting
Applying Shading
Applying Transparency
Applying Color
Setting MPR Slice Thickness
Applying MPR Color and Lighting
Fine-Tuning Overview
When images are displayed in the Viewer window, use the Viewer window
controls and tools to fine-tune them.
To bring features of interest into view on the Viewer window:
Applying Lighting
Lighting illuminates an image to allow you to see it more clearly. There are several
lighting options in the Volume Render menu. The available options depend on the
protocol you selected on the Gallery window.
NOTE: You can apply light to MPR images if you are using the Colored and Lit MPR
rendering option. You cannot use lighting in Montage Viewer window format.
Fine-Tuning Overview
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Changing Lighting
Change image lighting using the Volume Render menu on the Visual tab of the
Viewer window.
These rendering options are always available:
Direct Light - The image re-renders with lighting coming from a light
source perpendicular to the screen.
Direct Soft Light - The image re-renders with lighting coming from a soft
light source perpendicular to the screen.
Direct Light - Shiny - The image re-renders with lighting coming from a
shiny light source perpendicular to the screen.
Oblique Left Light - The image re-renders with lighting coming from an
oblique source to the left of the image.
Oblique Right Light - The image re-renders with lighting coming from an
oblique source to the right of the image.
NOTE: Turning on lighting automatically turns shading off. You cannot
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Applying Lighting
Applying Shading
Shading determines the variation in brightness throughout the image when
lighting is not used. Because different tissues typically have different voxel
values, a particular type of tissue may be best viewed using a particular window
and level setting. Shading gives visual contrast to an image. Without shading, the
rendered image of a thick or dense object may show up as a uniformly bright,
white mass in grayscale images. By adjusting the shading, you can see variations
more distinctly.
NOTE: The Shading slider displays or does not display depending the Viewer
window format and rendering option you are using. You cannot adjust shading in
Montage views. In 3D views and MPR views, you can adjust shading if you are
using Normal, MIP, or MinIP Rendering settings. You cannot adjust the shading if
you are using any of the Rendering options containing the word Light.
The current shading setting is indicated by the position of the Shading slider in
the Window/Level area of the Visual tab. Shading is most useful in monochrome
images, although it can be used in color images as well.
You adjust shading by:
Turning Shading On or
Off for MPR Images and
Volumes
For 3D images, the rendering option you are using determines whether or not
shading is on.
To turn shading off for volumes and MPR images:
Click the dropdown arrow to display the Volume Render dropdown menu,
then select a Rendering option that contains the word light.
Applying Shading
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Click the dropdown arrow to display the Volume Render dropdown menu,
then select a rendering option that does not contain the word light.
EXAMPLE: Normal, MIP, or MinIP.
The Shading slider displays.
Click and drag the Shading slider to the setting you want.
The image re-renders using the new shading setting.
OR
Applying Transparency
The Transparency feature in Vitrea lets you see into a volume by making
unimportant features transparent and features of interest more opaque.
Changing the transparency does not affect the integrity of the original volume. It
enables you to visually isolate and emphasize or de-emphasize anatomical
features.
How Does
Transparency Work?
All of the voxels of a specific value in a volume are assigned the same
transparency value. Decreasing the transparency value of a voxel value makes the
voxels with that value appear more opaque. Increasing the transparency value of
the voxels makes them more transparent.
You can increase the transparency for a range of voxel values that correspond to
tissue classifications you are not interested in viewing. When you increase the
transparency, you can see through those tissues into the image.
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Applying Transparency
graph represents the relationship between data values and transparency for the
currently selected Transparency option.
To choose a predefined transparency setting:
1. Click the dropdown arrow to display the Transparency menu.
2. Select a transparency option.
The image changes to reflect the transparency setting you chose.
NOTE: See Using the Visualization Editor for information on editing the predefined
transparency settings.
Applying Transparency
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The Transparency slider moves from zero to 100, where zero is fully opaque and
100 is fully transparent.
To make the features of an image more transparent:
Applying Color
Vitrea uses a variety of color schemes, including grayscale, for displaying images.
It does this by assigning the same color to all of the voxels of a specific value but
different colors to voxels of different values. Since different types of tissue tend to
have different voxel values (for CT volumes, soft tissue tends to have lower voxel
values and more dense objects tend to have higher voxel values), different types
of tissue can display in different colors.
Each voxel has a red, green, and blue value assigned to it. The proportion of each
of these colors assigned to the voxels of a specific value determine their color.
In Vitrea, some predefined color schemes are provided for you. These color
schemes are designed for viewing specific types of tissue. They visually
emphasize tissues with specific voxel values, and they de-emphasize other
tissues.
Changing Color
You can change the color scheme with the Color dropdown menu. This menu lists
the color schemes available, in terms of the types of tissue they are most suited
for viewing.
To change the color:
1. Click the Color dropdown menu.
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Applying Color
color settings.
Even if slice thickness is set to a number greater than 1, all the MPR views display
a single slice in Curved MPR mode.
Creating Mini-slabs
When the Thickness slider is set to a value greater than 1, the Transparency menu
and slider also affect the MPR views. The Transparency slider assigns a greater or
lesser degree of transparency to all voxels, making them more or less visible,
respectively. This lets you see through the top slice, into the mini-slab.
FIGURE 4. Thickness Slider
Thickness Slider
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Click and drag the Thickness slider in the MPR view to the right.
OR
Click in the number field to the left of the slider and type a value.
The Thickness number changes, and the MPR images change to slabs with
the thickness in millimeters indicated on the Thickness slider. The highest
possible Thickness value is 100.
If you are in Crosshair mode, the MPR views display a dashed line on either
side of the crosshairs indicating the thickness of the slab.
The MPR images have the same transparency setting as the 3D image(s).
To make MPR images thinner:
NOTE: You cannot make MPR images thinner than the acquisition thickness.
Click and drag the Thickness slider in the MPR view to the left.
OR
Click in the number field to the left of the slider and type a value.
The Thickness number changes, and the MPR images change to slabs with
the thickness in millimeters indicated on the Thickness slider.
This setting is useful for the same applications as volume rendering, with the
additional slice thickness setting for mini-slabs.
To apply color and lighting settings to MPR images:
1. Click the dropdown arrow at the bottom of any MPR view to display the MPR
rendering menu.
2. Select Colored Lit.
The MPR images change to reflect the lighting, transparency, and color
settings applied to the 3D image(s).
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In the dropdown menu at the bottom of any MPR view, choose from the
following settings:
FIGURE 5. MPR Options
MIP (100 mm max thickness) - A shading setting that displays data using
only the highest data values for each voxel of the image. MIP is a good
setting to use when competing features composed of voxels with similar
or higher values might be obscuring the feature of interest.
With the separate MPR MIP option you can view a volume rendering sideby-side with MPR MIP images.
This setting is particularly useful when performing these operations:
Viewing a thick slab MPR, showing all liver vessels in one plane
Volume Render (100 mm max thickness) - uses all voxel values.
The separate MPR Volume Render option gives you the capability of
viewing a 3D MIP rendered volume side-by-side with MPR volume
rendered images.
This setting is useful for showing vessel depth.
Colored and Lit (100 mm max thickness) - The color provides different
attenuation factors on a thick slab view. The lit portions cast shadows to
produce brilliant colors.
NOTE: If you are using the Colored and Lit MPR option, the same color,
transparency, and lighting settings applied to the 3D image(s) also apply
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MinIP (100 mm max thickness) A shading setting that displays data using
only the lowest data values for each voxel of the image. MinIP is a good
setting to use when features composed of similar or higher voxel values
might be obscuring a feature of interest composed of lower voxel values
in a scanned image.
This setting is particularly useful when looking at air or fluid in minislabs. For example, lung airways or dilated pancreatic or bile ducts.
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Advanced Procedures
This chapter contains information on:
Point-and-Click Region
Segmentation Options
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Sculpting Options:
Select Include to place the selected region in the foreground and move
everything else to the background.
Select Exclude to move the selected region to the background and place
everything else in the foreground.
Enter Upper HU and Lower HU values to fine tune the segmented image
by changing the highest and lowest visible HU threshold in the Bone
Only or Vessel Only mode.
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Enter Min Vol CC value to set the size threshold for removing fragments in
cubic centimeters (in the Visible mode only).
Vitrea places part of the image in the foreground, and other parts in the
background. Vitrea puts parts of an image in the background by making them
invisible or semi-transparent.
NOTE: Regions moved to the background are not removed from the volume, only
Foreground
The foreground displays everything that has not been removed from the image.
You use the foreground to isolate the primary region of interest. You can choose to
make segments in the foreground invisible, semi-transparent, tinted, or totally
visible by selecting object visibility options.
To place a segment in the foreground:
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Picking a Point
When using point-and-click region segmentation, you pick a point within a region
for Vitrea to use to include or exclude, based on upper and lower HU threshold
values. You do not manually draw contours or sculpt as you do with 2D and 3D
segmentation. When you pick a point, Vitrea determines the HU value at that
point, compares it to the rest of the region, and either includes or excludes
(depending on the option you choose) all tissue within the region that falls
between the HU values in the upper and lower threshold fields.
To pick a point to use for segmentation:
1. Click Pick.
2. Click any point within the region you want to segment.
Vitrea performs the segmentation.
Predefined or user-specified upper and lower Hounsfield unit (HU) tissue density
thresholds determine how much of the selected region Vitrea will include or
exclude with Point-and-Click Region Segmentation.
The tissue density at the point you pick within a region of interest must fall within
the HU range. For best results, you should pick a point most similar in HU (within
the threshold limits) to the majority of the region you want to segment.
To determine the density of a point on an image:
1. Click Crshair.
2. Click a point on any image.
The HU value displays.
Visible Mode
In Visible mode, you pick a currently visible point representing the tissue density
you want to include or exclude. In Visible mode, you cannot change the upper and
lower HU thresholds. You can adjust the segmented image by Removing
Fragments and by clicking the Less and More buttons.
In Bone Only mode, you pick a spot on a bone where the density falls within the
HU range. Vitrea segments out only all connected bone tissue falling within the
HU range.
In Bone Only mode, gaps of low-density tissue, cartilage, and air, by definition,
fall outside of threshold values.
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In Vessel Only mode, you pick a point within a vessel where the density falls
within the threshold limits. Vitrea segments out only vessels with tissue density
within the upper and lower HU limits.
Segmenting Visibly
Distinct Regions
You can segment any region that is not visibly connected to the rest of the
volume. You can segment such non-tissue parts of images as implantable devices
(stents, metal plates, etc.), and the scanner table.
To segment a visibly distinct region of an image:
Optional To make the region of interest visibly separate from other regions,
adjust the window and level settings.
Optional To show only the region where you will remove or isolate tissue, trim
the volume.
NOTE: If you trim the volume, segmentation will only apply to the visible
trimmed volume.
1. On the Analysis tab, select Visible.
2. To display segmented regions (keep them in the foreground), select Include.
OR
On the Viewer window Analysis tab, you make selections to include or exclude
regions of bone. Note these guidelines:
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You can redisplay all removed segments by checking the Show All Object
Visibility option. This option keep the segment definitions.
To segment (include or remove) bones:
To show only the region where you will remove or isolate bone, trim the
volume.
NOTE: If you trim the volume, segmentation will only apply to the visible
trimmed volume.
Segmenting Vessels
To show only the region where you will remove or isolate vessels, trim the
volume.
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trimmed volume.
Removing Fragments
Use Remove Fragments to remove small, visibly distinct areas. This removes
fragments smaller than a predefined size threshold, specified in cubic
centimeters (cc).
NOTE: This tool always excludes part of the image (even when Include is
selected).
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Use the Less and More buttons to adjust the HU values to be included/excluded
and to adjust the fragment size threshold and exclude less or more of the
segmented areas.
To use Less and More buttons to segment less or more of a region (Bone Only or
Vessel Only modes):
1. Click Pick, and click a region to include or exclude.
2. Click Less or More to:
You can change the range of tissue densities included in the segmented images
or excluded from the segmented images by adjusting the values in the Upper and
Lower HU fields.
To display a wider range of tissue densities:
1. Select Include.
2. In the Upper field, enter a higher threshold value, in the Lower field, enter a
lower threshold value, or do both.
3. Press ENTER.
OR
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1. Select Exclude.
2. In the Upper field, enter a higher threshold value, in the Lower field, enter a
lower threshold value, or do both.
3. Press ENTER.
You can save the current upper and lower HU and default minimum volume
fragment size thresholds as a customized preset.
To save the thresholds as a custom preset:
Button
Keyboard
Accelerator
CTRL-Z
Description
Undo last action in Viewer window. Click more than once to undo
multiple actions.
NOTE: Some segmentation results cannot be redisplayed clicking the
Undo button. Be sure to check your images before you pick a point in
Bone Only or Visible mode or before you remove fragments. If you
cannot redisplay the desired image clicking Undo, you may click Undo to
return to a desired point, then recreate the image.
Restore all views to their state before segmentation.
Reset images to their state when first loaded into the Viewer window.
CAUTION: This removes all of your changes, including sculpting,
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location of voxel values. Some data with values above the dynamically calculated
voxel value will not indicate the presence of a tumor. You must carefully review
the highlighting and tumor volume measurements to ensure accuracy. Once
Vitrea has identified the tumors within the user-designated region of interest, it
measures tumor volumes.
Vitrea generates the following tumor volume measurements:
Enhancing Volume -The combined tumor volume minus the nonenhancing core.
measurement .Tumor volume measurement is done only for the slices that were
actually scanned. This means that you must take the following steps:
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Interpolated slices are used if a volume contains too few slices to adequately
display the anatomical region of interest. Adding interpolated slices restores the
proper visual proportion. In Vitrea, interpolation does not occur in 2D views.
CAUTION: MR tumor volume measurements may be inaccurate when performed
Measurement
Range
50 mm to
500 cm
Size
Measurement
Error
Less than 8 mm
3
30%
8 mm to 1000 mm
15%
6%
Combined volumes (E + N)
Loading Volumes for
Brain Tumor
Measurement
To measure tumor volumes, you must load an MR volume of the brain using the
Head MR protocol and the 2D Tumor Measurement preset.
CAUTION: For best results, you must use only volumes created from MR series of
the brain scanned with the manufacturers recommended Head MR settings. This
measuring tool is not intended for measuring tumors in other anatomical regions
or for measuring volumes created from MR series of the brain scanned at different
settings other than the manufacturers recommended Head MR settings.
NOTE: After you measure tumor volumes using 2D images in Vitrea, you may
1.In the Perimeter method, each data value that falls within the defined region
and within the predefined thresholds for the three volume measurements
(combined, non-enhancing, and enhancing) is evaluated by Vitrea for tumor
volume measurement. This method can thus characterize the entire volume,
whereas other methods, such as the Diameter method, may make assumptions
regarding the characteristics of a volume, such as assuming the lesion is solid or
assuming that an ellipsoid is a reasonable representation of the lesion.
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In order to perform tumor volume measurement, you first need to define the
regions of the volume that contain the brain tumor. You do this by drawing
contour lines on selected slices around a suspected tumor.
You can draw contour lines in any Montage image displayed. You draw these lines
around the region of interest by indicating the beginning and ending slices of the
region to measure.
NOTE: Draw the broadest possible ellipse or freehand shape on an image,
Displaying Tumor
Volume Measurements
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A yellow line encircles the combined volume. Note that the Combined
Volume measurement can also include measurements for nonenhancing (cystic) volumes occurring outside the yellow contours.
The volume between the yellow line and the magenta line is the
enhancing volume, between the outside edge of the tumor and the core.
You can view the tumor position in a 3D view of the brain and rotate the 3D view to
get a closer look.
NOTE: Perform tumor measurements in 2D views only. Use the 3D view for
visualization only.
Click the MPR Volume format in the upper left of the Viewer window.
Optional To change the transparency to help you see the contoured tumor in
the 3D view, slide the Transparency slider to the right until you can see the
tumor contours clearly.
OR
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After you measure a tumor, you can edit any of the contour lines you drew to
define the region of interest, or the contour lines Vitrea automatically drew to
show the tumor, potential cyst, and necrotic tissue.
If you change contour lines, Vitrea recalculates all tumor volume measurements
to take the new contour lines and measurements into consideration.
CAUTION: The accuracy of the tumor volume measurements can be affected by
the accuracy of the contour lines. It is important to review and, if needed, edit the
contour lines, so the contour lines surround the region that you have determined
to be tumorous or cystic. If Vitrea draws contour lines for tumors or cysts around
regions for healthy or non-tumorous tissue, the measurements will include the
regions for healthy or non-tumorous tissue.
When you add contours or edit the Vitrea-generated contours, be aware of the
following guidelines:
If you edit more than one contour line, edit them in this order:
Surface (cyan)
Enhancing volume (yellow)
Non-enhancing volume (pink)
To edit contour lines:
1. Scroll to the slice containing the contour line you want to change.
2. Position the cursor over the contour line you want to change.
The cursor changes to look like a pencil.
3. Click and drag exactly where you want the border to display.
4. Repeat as needed to get the desired shape.
Vitrea recalculates all of the tumor volume measurements.
Non-contiguous tumors are regions of interest you suspect are tumors, but which
do not display within the generated contours of a currently displayed, measured
region.
After you measure a tumor, you can fine-tune the results by drawing contours
around additional regions for non-contiguous tumors or for potential cysts.
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measure by restoring the view and either drawing a wider contour so that more of
the volume is measured, or by measuring the tumor and the noncontiguous
regions individually.
Before you define non-contiguous tumors and potential cysts, you must define
and measure the volume for one region of interest.
To define non-contiguous tumors or potential cysts:
1. When you have already measured one region of interest, scroll to the slice
containing the non-contiguous tumor or potential cyst.
2. Position the cursor anywhere along the region where you want draw a contour
line.
3. To define a non-contiguous tumor, press and hold CTRL and click and drag
exactly where you want the contour line to display.
OR
To define a potential cyst, press and hold SHIFT and click and drag exactly
where you want the contour line to display.
Optional To edit the contour line you just drew, repeat this action (this time
without pressing and holding CTRL or SHIFT) to get the desired shape.
Vitrea automatically recalculates the volume measurements when you
release the left mouse button.
Any non-contiguous volume is added to the Enhancing Volume.
Any potential cyst volume is added to the Non-Enhancing Volume
measurement.
Reporting Tumor
Volume Measurements
Once you measure the volumes for each brain tumor, take snapshot to place in a
report, just as with any other protocol.
The Head MR protocol uses the measuring tumor volumes report format.This
format includes room for two images, an area for the tumor volume
measurements, and a Comments box. You can change to a different report format,
if desired.
Vitrea automatically displays the tumor volume measurements in the space
below the images.
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For segmenting the image of the brain, you must use an MR volume of the head,
loaded with the Head MR protocol and the 3D Brain Segmentation preset.
To load a head MR volume for brain segmentation:
1. On the Study Directory, load an MR volume of the head.
The Gallery window displays.
2. Select the Head MR protocol.
3. Select the 3D Brain Segmentation preset.
NOTE: You must select the 3D Brain Segmentation preset, designed
especially for brain segmentation.
The Viewer window displays a 3D view and three MPR views of the volume.
The lower left part of the window displays the controls for segmenting images
of the brain:
Sculpt box
Find button
To highlight the image of the brain:
1. Check Sculpt box.
2. Click Ellipse or Free, depending on the shape of the contour line you want to
draw.
3. Click Find.
On each slice in the sagittal MPR image, Vitrea automatically outlines the
brain with a red line.
If the red line around the brain does not precisely encircle the brain, adjust
the line.
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After you have highlighted the image of the brain, you have the option to edit the
red contours, which Vitrea automatically draws around the brain volume after you
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Segmenting Images of
the Brain
After you edit the contours of the brain, you can trim away the image of the skull
and of the surrounding tissue and vessels to expose the brain.
To segment images of the brain:
1. Select Include.
2. Click Sculpt.
3. To better reveal the inner anatomy of the brain, click the Transparency menu
and select a different setting.
On the Gallery window, select a preset with Fly Through in the title. The Viewer
window display the images in the default format shown on the preset.
NOTE: When you use any of the Fly Through presets, the Target Nav box on the
Visual tab is cleared. This means you are using eye-based navigation, which is the
easiest way to perform a fly through. If you find that the fly through is not going as
you expect, be sure the Target Nav box is cleared.
Viewer Window
Formats for Fly
Throughs
The Viewer window has several formats. The format determines the number of 3D
and/or MPR views that display on the Viewer window.
To fly through a volume, choose a Viewer window format that contains at least
one 3D view.
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Format
Description
4-up
5-up
Targeted
Navigation
Two 3D views and three MPR views, with one larger than the others.
3D views display in lower right and left, and MPR views display in upper
left (axial), upper right (sagittal), and middle right (coronal).
This format is useful for selecting a target, such as an anatomical feature
or lesion, in the large MPR view and eyepoint in the upper left, large MPR
view, and viewing the target in the lower left 3D view.
Runoff
Preparing to Fly
Through
Before you start flying through the volume, you need to prepare the 3D view.
To prepare the 3D view for flying through:
1. If the Viewer window is not already in a 3D format, switch to one of the 3D
Viewer window formats listed above.
Optional If you cannot currently see the area you want to fly into, click and
drag to rotate the volume so you can see it.
2. Zoom in and rotate the 3D view as necessary to position the area you want to
fly through to the center of the view.
3. Click the mode button in the lower right corner of the volume window until it
changes to Fly Through.
Each time you click, the button changes. Remember that if you are in the
upper volume of Fly Through format, you cannot switch to Fly Through mode,
so the button will not change to Fly Through.
NOTE: If Orthographic is selected in the View Options menu, changing to
Fly Through mode automatically makes the View Options menu change to
a perspective viewing option.
Optional For best results, slide the Image Quality slide to 3 or higher.
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To use the 3D view to position the volume for fly through, do the following
things:
Flying Through a Volume
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Position the volume so the eyepoint is pointing ahead into the passage
you want to fly through.
Press ALT POINT & GO [right ALT], and click in the 3D view on the area you
to fly into.
When you click, the area you clicked is now in the center of the 3D view,
and you have flow forward halfway to the nearest non-transparent spot.
Right-click and drag down (toward you) to advance forward through the
lumen, or up (away from you) to back up.
OR
Roll the mouse wheel down (toward you) to fly forward or up (away from
you) to fly backward.
NOTE: The speed at which you drag determines how fast you fly.
OR
To fly forward, right-click and drag (or roll the mouse wheel) down (toward
you).
The 3D view flies a variable distance ahead, depending on how far you drag
the mouse or roll the mouse wheel.
To fly backward, right-click and drag (or roll the mouse wheel) up (away from
you).
The 3D view flies a variable distance back, depending on how far you drag the
mouse or roll the mouse wheel.
NOTE: This does not change the direction of the eyepoint. You will
continue looking in the original direction, but you will move backward.
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Examining a Feature of
Interest in MPR and 3D
Simultaneously
Press...
To...
>
Fly forward
<
Fly backward
SHIFT >
SHIFT <
ALT 3D TOOL
[left ALT] + click
To see a feature of interest in the MPR views and 3D view at the same time, you
should pick a spot in the volume and move the MPR crosshairs to that spot
without changing the eyepoint.
To examine a feature of interest in the 3D view and the MPR views without moving
the eyepoint:
1. On the Visual tab, be sure the Target Nav box is cleared.
2. Click Crshair.
3. Press and hold ALT 3D TOOL [left ALT], then click the point of interest in the 3D
view.
The crosshairs in the MPR views change to the spot you clicked, so the MPR
views display the point of interest. The status line at the bottom of the screen
displays the coordinates of the point you picked.
The eyepoint inside the volume does not change. This causes the eyepoint to
be temporarily out of synch with the MPR crosshairs.
4. Fly to a new position within the volume.
The MPR crosshairs change to match the new eyepoint.
Viewing Auto-oblique
MPR Images During Fly
Throughs
You can view dynamically changing oblique MPR images as you fly by switching
the MPR view to oblique MPR mode. You do not need to rotate the MPR
crosshairs, because the orientation of the MPR views will depend on the direction
you are flying.
To view dynamic MPR planes as you fly:
1. In the 3D view, switch to Fly Through mode.
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The MPR view with the red border displays images perpendicular to the
direction you are currently looking.
The other two MPR views display images perpendicular to this plane and
each other.
The MPR view with the blue border (formerly the sagittal view) displays
images in a plane that includes the vertical horizon in the 3D view.
The MPR view with the green border (formerly the coronal view) displays
images in a plane that includes the horizontal horizon in the 3D view.
In general, the blue and green MPR views show lengths of the lumen,
while the red MPR view displays cross-sections of the lumen.
FIGURE 4. Sagittal MPR View in Oblique Plane
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Vitreas assisted navigation features help you turn during fly through, but
at some points, you may have to use manual turning capabilities to
continuing flying.
Use the field of view cone to stay aware of where you are looking. It indicates:
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In Fly Through mode, use yellow lines in the MPR views to change placement or
direction of the field of view cone in the outside 3D view.
To change the EYEPOINT or placement of the tip:
1. Click Crshair.
2. In one of the MPR views, click to place the crosshairs where you want the tip of
the field of view cone.
The eyepoint moves to the position of the crosshairs and the field of view
cone adjusts to look forward through the lumen.
To change the DIRECTION of the cone:
1. Click Crshair.
2. In one of the MPR views, press and hold ALT POINT & GO, then click on the
point at which you want to look.
OR
Optional In the 3D view, press and hold ALT 3D TOOL [left ALT], then click on
the object at which you want to look.
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When you are flying through a volume, the MPR images can help you understand
where you are inside the volume.
Changing the eyepoint in the 3D view changes the MPR crosshairs position.
Likewise, moving the MPR crosshairs changes the eyepoint in the 3D view.
To use MPR crosshairs as a navigational aid:
1. Before flying into the volume, scroll in an MPR view to find a feature you want
to fly to.
2. Click Crshair.
Optional Draw an arrow to mark the feature you want to fly to.
For more information, see Adding Arrows to Images.
3. Click on the feature of interest to place the MPR crosshairs on it.
The 3D view jumps to the new location.
Using 3D Crosshairs as
a Navigational Aid
In any Viewer window format that includes two 3D views, you can use the 3D
crosshairs in an outside view to make it easier to see where the eyepoint is within
the fly through (inside) 3D view.
To do this, you can use the Fly Through Viewer window format. The upper view
must be in Fly Around mode. You can look at the upper 3D view to see where the
3D crosshairs intersect.
To use 3D crosshairs as a navigational aid:
1. On the Visual tab, in the View Options area, check the 3D Crosshair box.
Now both 3D views have 3D crosshairs. However, once the eyepoint is inside
the volume, the 3D crosshairs in the lower volume are obscured by the
volume itself.
2. Navigate into the lower volume.
The 3D crosshairs in the upper 3D view change to indicate your current
viewpoint inside the lower volume. As you navigate through the lower
volume, the 3D crosshairs in the upper are updated. In this way, you can
always see where you are inside the volume.
In Fly Through format, you can also put the upper 3D view into Reverse View mode
to assist you in navigating through the lower 3D view.
If the lower volume is in Fly Through mode, and the upper volume is in Reverse
View mode, the upper volume acts as a rear view mirror that lets you look back at
the areas of the volume you have just flown past.
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You can turn the eyepoint by using the arrow keys. When you use one of the
ARROW keys by itself, you turn the eyepoint a small number of degrees (10).
When you use the arrow keys with SHIFT, you turn the eyepoint by a larger number
of degrees (90). You can use these keys repeatedly to turn a larger amount.
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move. Depending on how far you turn, the volume can completely disappear from
view. If this happens, click Undo.
To turn using the ARROW keys:
specific number of degrees you turn with the ARROW keys. The default
settings are 10 degrees for the ARROW keys alone, and 90 degrees for
the ARROW keys with SHIFT.
Press and hold SHIFT, then press RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW
repeatedly.
NOTE: If you try to use UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW to reverse direction,
you would be looking the opposite way, but your view would be upside
down from your original orientation.
Turning Manually by
Clicking and Dragging
You can turn manually during fly through by clicking and dragging. This allows you
to turn as much or little as you want in any direction. Dragging to the right turns
the eyepoint to the right, and moves the image to the left. Dragging down moves
the eyepoint down but the image seems to move up.
In Fly Through mode, clicking and dragging rotates the volume around your
current viewpoint. This is different from clicking and dragging in Fly Around mode,
which rotates the volume around its center.
NOTE: If you turn when the eyepoint is outside the volume, the volume seems to
move. Depending on how far you turn, the volume can completely disappear from
view. If this happens, click Undo.
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in a passageway. If you are in Fly Around mode, you cannot rotate the
volume around your current viewing position, but you can rotate around
the crosshair if you are using target-based navigation.
Avoiding Collisions
You flew forward too far before turning, and ran into the wall in front of
you.
You tried to turn before you got to the corner, and turned into the wall
instead.
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Click Via.
A checkmark displays on the image.
Repeat from step b until you have captured all intermediate images for
the batch.
OR
6. Click End.
A checkmark displays on the image.
The End button becomes unavailable after you capture the ending image. The
images for the batch have been captured, but at this point, they are not
available on the Report window.
Optional To remove patient information from the batch images, clear the
Patient Info box in the Output Control area.
7. Click Batch.
The batch is created, plays in a separate window, and is automatically saved
to the Report window.
Optional To be sure the batch contains the expected images, do the following
steps:
a
Select the thumbnail with the Batch icon from the Findings Tray to
preview the batch.
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Magnify the transparency and color settings to allow for more detailed
editing.
Save the currently edited settings for the duration of the current Vitrea
session.
Save your newly created transparency and color settings for use in future
Vitrea sessions.
You access the Visualization Editor through either the Transparency dropdown
menu or the Color dropdown menu.
To open the Visualization Editor:
1. On the Visual tab, in the Transparency area, click the dropdown arrow.
The Transparency menu displays.
2. Select Edit Transparency...
The Curve Selector is set to Transparency, and the current Transparency curve
displays in the Curve Editor.
OR
1. On the Visual tab, in the Color area, click the dropdown arrow.
The Color menu displays.
2. Select Edit Color...
The Curve Selector is set to Hue, and the current Hue curve displays in the
Curve Editor.
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Name
Use
Free
Click, then click anywhere on the curve editing line and move the point.
The curve editing line will follow the shape you draw.
NOTE: If Relative to Window/Level box is checked for the curve
displayed in the Curve Editor, you can only edit the portion of the curve
that falls within the current window/level setting, denoted by two
vertical white dashed lines in the Curve Editor.
Linear
Click, then click anywhere on the curve editing line and move the point.
The curve editing line will move in straight lines.
Curve
Click, then click anywhere on the curve editing line and move the point.
The curve editing line will move in a curved shape, using a Bezier
algorithm.
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Name
Use
Transparency
Presets
Edit Relative
to Window/
Level Box
Check to display white vertical lines in the Curve Editor indicating the
current window/level setting. You cannot manipulate any region of the
curve that falls outside the current window/level region.
Adjust the current window/level setting by clicking and dragging in the
2D preview, or by pressing ALT 3D TOOL [left ALT] and clicking and
dragging in the 3D preview.
Select
Apply Color
Reset
Reset the current set of functions to the original state (their state at the
time the Visualization Editor was engaged).
Undo Edit
Click to undo the last edit. Click more than once to undo more than one
edit.
Save
Delete
2D and 3D Previews
These previews provide a way to view results in the 2D MPR image or 3D image as
you adjust the transparency and color settings.
In the 2D preview, you can cine, zoom, adjust window/level, and pan as in the
Viewer window. You can also use the Select button in the 2D preview to choose a
tissue type or HU setting and adjust its transparency or color settings.
In the 3D preview, you can pan, zoom, adjust window/level, and rotate the
volume just like you can in the Viewer window.
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You can only edit one curve at a time. Select the curve you want to edit in the
Curve Selector area.
To select the curve you want to edit (if different than the default):
The Curve Editor displays the active curve from the Curve Selector area
(transparency (red), hue (cyan), saturation (blue), value (magenta)). The active
curve is superimposed on a histogram of the voxel values (for CT). You can use
the voxel values as a reference when manipulating the curve.
To edit the curve:
1. Click Free, Linear, or Curve to select an editing tool.
2. Click the curve at any point, and drag to adjust the setting.
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You can adjust the Editing Window Region to make detailed adjustments to the
displayed curve. The Editing Window Region is a blue rectangle. HU markers are
displayed on the right and left sides of the region. The default range of the Editing
Window Region is -1024 to 3071 HU.
FIGURE 11. Region Selector Area
To resize the Editing Window Region using the Region Selector area:
1. In the Region Selector area, click Select.
2. In the 2D preview, click a tissue type.
The Editing Window Region adjusts to contain the range of HU values for that
tissue type.
OR
Use the arrow keys or type values in the fields to adjust the range of HU
values.
The Editing Window Region adjusts to contain the range of HU values you
entered.
To resize the Editing Window Region using the Editing Window slider:
1. Above the slider, below the graph, hover the cursor over the left or right border
of the Editing Window Region.
The cursor changes to a left/right arrow.
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The Zoom Control area also displays the active curve from the Curve Selector
Region (transparency (red), hue (cyan), saturation (blue), value (magenta)). As in
the Curve Editor, the curve is superimposed on a histogram of the voxel values
(for CT). You can use the voxel values for reference when manipulating the curve.
To view a portion of the displayed curve in more detail:
In the lower right corner of the Zoom Control area, click Zoom In.
A green box is displayed on the histogram, centered around the area last
touched in the Curve Editor (or, the midpoint of the current W/L if the Edit
Relative to Window/Level box is checked).
FIGURE 12. Zoom Control Area
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Adjusting Color
Settings using the
Color Picker
You can select a color setting from a list of predefined color presets. When you
select one of the presets, the Curve Editor displays the Hue setting (cyan in color).
You can change the color setting displayed in the Curve Editor to Saturation or
Value by selecting the corresponding option in the Curve Selector.
You can define colors for particular regions of interest. The Color Picker allows you
to change the color (hue and saturation) of a particular piece of anatomy. The
Color Picker is denoted by the small crosshair inside the color palette.
The Value Slider allows you to indicate the desired value (lightness or darkness)
of the color selection. The Value Slider is denoted by the small black arrow on the
vertical color bar located next to the color palette.
To change the color of an area of interest:
1. Click Pick.
2. Click an area of interest in either the 2D view or the Curve Editing region.
3. Set the color in one of the f0llowing ways:
a
Click the color picker in the color palette and drag it to set the hue and
saturation.
Adjust the vertical slider to the right of the color palette to set the value
OR
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Study Viewer
This chapter contains information/instructions for the Study Viewer:
Study Viewer
Study Viewer
The Study Viewer feature lets you quickly preview newly scanned images from CT,
MR, NM, PET, US, CR, DR, and Secondary Capture images.
Use this feature to:
View original scanned images before loading and viewing them as volume
files in Vitrea or to
Stack all images from a study to quickly review multiple series in an Exam
Quickly review DICOM images
Reorient images with mouse-driven and keyboard controls
Cine through slices manually or automatically
Change use of your mouse buttons
Change layout of DICOM header information
Visualization controls meet American College of Radiology guidelines for digital
image data management because it allows the user to scroll (cine) through slices,
change the window and level, measure linear distance, and display patient
information.
A dual monitor option is available to view full-screen images side-by-side and is
configured at installation time.
The Study Viewer displays as a separate window that either:
Study Viewer
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a Vitrea window
the Windows Desktop
To start the Study Viewer software from the Vitrea Study Directory:
1. Select the Study Directory tab.
2. Right-click the patient name.
3. Select Load in Study Viewer.
The Study Viewer window launches.
NOTE: If you want to view multiple, but not all series in a DICOM study
listed on the Study Directory, double-click the patient name, click one of
the series, press and hold CTRL while you click all except the last series
you want, then, right-click that last series and select Load in Study
Viewer.
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Study Viewer
Study Viewer
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Changing Viewer
Settings
204
Controls of the Study Viewer let you adjust the scanned image to view anatomical
details.
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Study Viewer
Name
Use
Rotate Left
Rotate Right
Flip Vertical
Invert
Series (Next,
Prev)
Tagged Images
(Next, Prev)
Stack (Top,
Bottom)
Window/level
(W/L)
Study Viewer
Forward (Right)
Stop (Middle
(square) button)
Back (Left)
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Name
Use
Loop
Swing
Once
Layout
DICOM
Help
Measurements
box
Patient
Information box
You use the Mouse Control buttons in the Study Viewer window to change the
usage of the hand-held mouse buttons.
FIGURE 4. Mouse Control
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Study Viewer
Manual cine
Up or down
Window/level
In any direction
Measure
Pan
In any direction
Zoom
Forward or backward
Mouse Wheel
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207
Using Keyboard
Shortcuts
Press these keys on the keyboard to use the Study Viewer window:
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Study Viewer
Index
Numerics
2D Montage Format buttons 43
3D box 68
displaying or clearing 69
3D crosshairs 69
displaying or clearing 69
3D volume modes 66
4-up format button
with fly-through 182
5-up format button
with fly-through 182
A
Add All button 137
All-Exams format 59
All-Exams format button 43
Analysis tab 49
Annotation Dictionary 101
Anonymize button 30
Append Page button 138
Apply Color button 196
Archiving to CD 31
Arrow button
Report window 138
Viewer window 47
Arrows
adding 98
deleting 100
hiding 100
jumping in sequence 100
Arrowtations
adding 103
deleting 103
AutoDelete 27
Automated Vessel Measurements 2
Autorotating 3D volume 70
Average option 163
Axial plane 75
Azimuth rotation value 70
B
Batch tab 52
Batches 124
creating 2D 127
custom 3D 129
formats 125
multiple volumes 131
number of images 125
planning 124
printing 131
scripted (3D) 129
scripted (MPR) 128
C
Cardiac EP Planning 2
Cardiac Functional Analysis (CFA) 3
CD tab 26
Centerline 81
Choose Format area 141
Clear button 53
Closing Vitrea 16
Collapse All menu option 29
Collapsing studies in a patient list 29
Color 160
applying color and lighting 162
changing 160
Colored and Lit option 163
Coronal plane 75
Coronary Artery Analysis 3
Crshair button 47, 50
CT Brain Perfusion 2
CT Colonography 3
Curve button (in visualization editor) 195
Curved mode button 77
Curved MPR mode 79
D
DCM Print button 139
Delete button 196
Delete button (in Report window) 137
Delete Page button 139
Deleting studies or volumes 28
Deselecting volumes 19
DICOM button (in Study Viewer) 206
DICOM Export button 139
DICOM images
exporting 30
retrieving 35
DICOM Query area 33
DICOMDIR files, importing 36
Dual Volume format button 44
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Eject button 32
Elevation rotation value 70
Ellipse button 47, 50, 115
End button 53
Engage Extended Memory box 20
Exclude option 123
with point-and-click region segmentation 166
Expand All menu option 29
Expanding studies in a patient list 29
Export all images as Secondary Capture? box
exporting from Study Viewer 31
exporting from Viewer window 109
Export button 137
Exporting
DICOM images 30
slices (2D) 108
Extended Memory
disengaging 21
engaging 20
Grouping 2D views 60
F
Field of view cone, displaying 187
Field of view, changing 72
Findings List 137
First Page button 138
Flip Vertical button (in Study Viewer) 205
Fly Around 3D Mode button 66
Fly through
3D crosshairs 189
avoiding collisions 192
continuous assisted navigation 184
examining a POI 185
field of view cone 187
Gallery presets 181
image batches 192
keyboard shortcuts 185
MPR crosshairs 189
point & go navigation 183
preparing the volume 182
reverse view mode 189
turning by clicking/dragging 191
using the mouse 184
Viewer window formats 181
viewing auto-oblique MPR images 185
Fly Through 3D Mode button 66
Fly Through format button 44
Force Conversion to Monochrome? box
exporting from Study Viewer 31
exporting from Viewer window 109
Format Buttons 43
Free button 50, 115
Free button (in visualization editor) 195
Full Vol button 47
Function keys (F2-F8) 70
Fusion7D 3
II
H
Help button (in Study Viewer) 206
Help window 153
Hiding all volumes for a study 19
I
Image Quality slider 73
Image quality, adjusting 73
ImageChecker CT 4
Import button 137
Importing
DICOMDIR files 36
from CD 26
Include option 123
with point-and-click region segmentation 166
Insert After button 138
Insert Beforebutton 138
Intranet Post button 139
Invert button (in Study Viewer) 205
K
Keyboard accelerators
Analysis tab 50
Batch tab 53, 54, 56
Visual tab 47
Keyboard shortcuts 11
L
Label button
Report window 138
Viewer window 48
Labels
adding 100
attaching an arrow 103
deleting 103
editing 102
moving 102
Last Page button 138
Layout button (in Study Viewer) 206
Less button 167
Lighting 155
applying color and lighting 162
changing 156
turning off 157
turning on 157
Linear button (in visualization editor) 195
Link MPR / 3D box 90
Load Volume(s) button 22
Loading
study 22
sub-volume 23
volume 22
Location and data value, displaying 63
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Locking
study 27
Loop option (in Study Viewer) 206
Lower HU field 166
Lung Analysis 4
M
Magnifying/Minifying
2D slices 62
Fly Around mode 72
MPR views 84
Maximize/Minimize button 72
Maximizing/Minimizing views 72
Measure button 51
Measurement accuracy 90
Measurements 90
2D regions of interest 93
3D 97
3D regions of interest 95
area inside a contour line 93
centerline 82
contrast intensity 94
Curved MPR mode 97
length 91
reference scale 94
tumor volumes. See Tumor volume measurements
volumetric 97
Measurements box (in Study Viewer) 206
Measuring line 81
Memory Usage 20
Min Vol CC field 167
MinIP option 164
MIP option 163
Moderate view option 73
Modifying presets 39
Montage format 58
More button 167
Mouse functions 13
Movies 132
creating 132
playing 134
posting 134
previewing 134
time-series CTA or MRA 134
Moving an image 59
MPR modes, switching 78
MPR views 75
Fly Through mode 83
moving 3D crosshairs 82
N
New Report button 138
NEXT (F10) key 59
Next Page button 138
Number of Images slider 125
P
Patient Info box
Batch tab 128
Visual tab 103
Patient Information box (in Study Viewer) 206
Patient information, showing/hiding 103
Pick button 166
Picking a preset 38
Point-of-Interest (POI) 3D Mode button 66
Preset
modifying 39
picking 38
PREVIOUS (F9) key 59
Previous Page button 138
Print button 139
Printing slices (2D) 107
Protocol, selecting 38
Q
Query List area 33
Querying
DICOM device 34
other Vitrea workstations 35
similar studies (Smart Query) 37
R
Reconciling studies 29
Redo button
Report window 139
Refreshing the patient list 29
Relative to Window/Level box 196
Remove Fragments button 167
Remove Image button 139
Report
adding a letterhead graphic to a report
template 142
adding arrows 146
adding images 143
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IV
autorotate 70
Ruler button 48
Rulers
deleting 92
drawing 91
Runoff format button 44
with fly-through 182
S
Sagittal plane 75
Save button 196
Report window 138
Save Movie Setting as default box 133
Saved images (workflow), restoring 25
Saving
images 104
Scripted 3D batch rotation controls 53
Scripted MPR batch directional controls 53
Scrolling
autoscroll in MPR view 83
autoscroll through 2D images 58
in a single volume 61
moving through slices in MPR view 83
paging through slices in Montage mode 58
through a group of volumes 62
through slices in Montage mode 58
Scrolling buttons (in Study Viewer) 205
Sculpt button 51
Sculpt tab 49
Sculpting. See Segmentation
Searching in the Study Directory 18
Segmentation 114
adjusting visibility 123
bone only mode 168
brain. See Brain segmentation
changing contour lines 119
changing HU thresholds 172
checking contour lines 119
deleting contour lines 120
determining density 168
including/excluding 167
multiple regions 121
picking a point 168
point-and-click 165
removing fragments 171
restoring/resetting/undoing 173
segmenting a visibly distinct region 169
segmenting bones 169
segmenting less/more 172
segmenting vessels 170
showing 124
undoing 123
vessel only mode 169
visible mode 168
Segmentation Tools 49
Select button 196
Report window 138
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T
Tagged Images buttons (in Study Viewer) 205
Targeted Navigation format button 44
with fly-through 182
Telephoto view option 73
Templates Layouts 141
Thickness
U
Undo button
Batch tab 53
Report window 139
with point-and-click region segmentation 173
Undo Edit button 196
Unlocking
study 27
Upper HU field 166
Use Modified Presets box 39
V
Vessel Only option 166
Vessel Probe 4
Vessels tab 49
Via button 53
View Options menu 72
Viewer window
displaying 42
format, changing 42
instant format buttons, customizing 44
Visible option 166
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W
Wide Angle view options 73
Window Level settings 85
change by clicking/dragging 86
change by typing 86
custom 87
link/unlink MPR/3D views 90
menu options 86
preview slice, changing 20
Window/level button (in Study Viewer) 205
WinLev button
Analysis tab 50
Visual tab 47
Word Report button 139
Workflow, restoring 25
Z
Zooming in/out
fly around 3D mode 72
Zooming in/out, 2D slices 62
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