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Visualization Systems for Multi-Dimensional Microscopy Images

  • Chapter
Handbook Of Biological Confocal Microscopy

Abstract

Rapid developments in biological microscopy have prompted many advances in multi-dimensional imaging. However, threedimensional (3D) visualization techniques originated largely from applications involving computer-generated models of macroscopic objects. Subsequently, these methods have been adapted for biological visualization of mainly tomographic medical images and data from cut serial sections (e.g., Cookson et al., 1989 and review in Cookson, 1994). Most of these algorithms were not devised specifically for microscopy images, and only a few critical assessments have been made of suitable approaches for the most common 3D technique, laser-scanning microscopy (LSM) (Kriete and Pepping, 1992). Ultimately, we must rely on objective visualization of control, calibration, and test specimens in order to determine which visualization algorithms are appropriate for a particular analysis. Hardware developments and advances in software engineering tools have made available many 3D reconstruction systems that can be used to visualize multi-dimensional images. These are available from instrument manufacturers, third party vendors, research academics, and other microscopists. The author has attempted to collate important techniques used in these programs and to highlight particular packages that, not exclusively, illustrate various techniques described throughout the text. A representative collection of established commercial and noncommercial visualization programs available at the time of writing is listed in Table 14.1. For automatic image analysis and measurement, see Chapters 15 and 48, this volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, United Kingdom

    N. S. White

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  1. N. S. White
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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    James B. Pawley

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White, N.S. (2006). Visualization Systems for Multi-Dimensional Microscopy Images. In: Pawley, J. (eds) Handbook Of Biological Confocal Microscopy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-45524-2_14

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