The Imaris 9.8 release brings improvements to the validation of object detection by allowing object visualization on slicers. In 3D images with significant depth slicer visualization can provide great detail.

Imaris9.8 also adds a long-awaited feature to the filament module: a soma model. This model improves visualization and measurements in situations where the image data allow for a successful soma detection.

Objects on Slicer

Imaris 9.8 facilitates object creation, validation and editing by providing for each component (spots, surfaces, cells, filaments) a slicer mode that renders object outlines together with the original image data. This is a powerful tool to validate segmentation results.

All creation steps can be validated on a slicer (intermediate segmentation steps, region threshold, seed points, etc.). When multiple elements are rendered at the same time during creation (e.g. spots and threshold, or filaments’ dendrites’ line and threshold), all of them are rendered on the same slicer (and with same extended section settings), to give a view of the correlation between these elements.

An important feature of the slicer rendering is its capability to render “extended sections”. When this is enabled, the slicer renders a projection of all volume data (MIP projection) and object data within a specified thickness onto the slice. One might for example set the thickness of the extended section during spots creation to be roughly the diameter of a spot to allow very efficient visual validation.

Slicer Thickness 0.5 um

Slicer Thickness 0.5 um

Slicer Thickness 4 um

Slicer Thickness 4 um

Objects can also be selected and edited in slicer mode. When in circle selection mode the cursor only selects objects displayed on the slice. Objects Slicers can be used in animations. Slicer position, direction and extended section are interpolated between key frames.

Spots Editing with Autodepth Positioning in Slicer Mode

In the slicer mode spots are rendered as circles (or ellipses) on a slicer together with the original image data. During spots manual editing you can shift-click onto an existing spot to delete it or shift-click onto the slicer to create a new spot. New spots are automatically positioned at their best “depth” from the slicer when the slicer thickness (extended section) is greater than a single slice. This can make spot positioning very efficient. You can set the slicer extended section to cover a useful thickness (larger than a spot diameter but small enough to not show too much clutter) and rely on the auto-depth positioning algorithm to automatically position each spot at its correct distance from the slicer.

Filaments Drawing in Slicer Mode

In the slicer mode, filaments can be rendered either as a line, cylinder, or cone (similar options as when rendered in 3D). During filaments drawing with AutoPath the cursor is automatically placed on the slice. Starting point and end point are automatically placed at the optimal position within the thickness of the slicer (in the direction orthogonal to the slicer). During filaments drawing with AutoDepth, the slicer position follows the tracing.

During filaments drawing sometimes parts of the line are outside of the extended slicer. In this case line segments outside the extended section are rendered with transparency: a semi-transparent dashed line means that the segment is below the slicer, a semi-transparent full line means that the segment is above the slicer. The line segments within the extended section are rendered fully opaque.

Tracks on Slicer

When objects are tracked, tracks are also rendered on the slice.

Surfaces and Cells on Slicers

Surfaces and cells have been adapted to become consistent with the spots and filaments slicers in terms of rendering modes, extended section, and UI options. It is now possible to render surfaces with only an outline which improves segmentation validation.

During surfaces manual edit (Add/Delete, in the edit tab), the cursor is automatically placed on the slice. New surfaces (computed with marching cubes or magic wand) are however not created exactly on the slice, but at their optimal position within the thickness of the slicer (in the direction orthogonal to the slicer). If a specific channel is selected for the auto-depth placement (edit tab), only this channel will be used to define the optimal position, otherwise all visible channels will be used.

Volume auto-hide in presence of Slicers

Imaris 9.8 automatically hides the Volume component when slicer rendering is turned on.
In case of a specific workflow requiring simultaneous visualization of a slicer and the volume, the “auto-hide” functionality can be disabled in the volume settings tab.

New Manipulator for Slicers and Clipping Planes

A new manipulator for orthogonal slicers, oblique slicers and clipping planes brings the same simple positioning logic to all slicers:

• Left-click + drag on the sphere translates the slicer
• Left-click + drag on the arrow rotates the slicer.

Slicer control from the second scroll wheel of the Logitech MX Master mouse

The manipulator can also be moved within the slicer to prevent it from hiding an area of interest. This can be achieved either by doing right-click and drag on the manipulator sphere, or by doing a right-click somewhere on the slice.

Imaris 9.8 has been optimized to take full advantage of the second scroll wheel provided by the Logitech MX Master mouse while working on slicers. The second wheel translates (the position of) selected slices. This improves efficiency while validating or editing objects, as precise slicer control is now possible without moving the cursor from the scene. This additional control is also available for touch-surfaces and touchpads, the vertical (principal) scroll keeps the usual behavior (zoom and cursor resizing) and the horizontal scroll translates slices.

Unified slicer shortcuts and interactions

Shortcuts and interactions related to slicers are now unified so they are available for both orthogonal and oblique slicers, and for any usage of the slicers. 

• The slicer can be moved up/down with the up/down keys, by using the mouse side buttons, or by using the second scroll wheel.
• The extended section can be increased/decreased with the +/- keys.
• Right-click on the manipulator switches from one ortho direction to another (equivalent of right-click on the slicer in previous versions). For oblique slicers the first right-click makes the slicer face the closest orthogonal direction.
• Interacting with an oblique slicer while pressing the shift key makes the slicer behave like an ortho slicer (rotation limited to orthogonal directions, stepwise translation).

Object Toolbar Containing Slicer Settings

A toolbar is now available next to the objects dialog. It provides an easy and quick way to apply actions on the currently selected component from any objects’ tab.

One particularly useful action that it provides is to change slicer mode during object creation without a need to switch to the settings tab.

It also provides tools to facilitate interactions with the slicer. It is thereby possible to translate the slicer to the center of the currently selected objects, to align the slicer to an orthogonal direction, or to store (and recall later) slicer configuration (position, direction and extended section) to come back later to a place of interest.

Imaris 9.8.2