Recent advances in visualization, volumetric analysis and 3D reconstruction in musculoskeletal imaging using the OsiriX open source DICOM software [ READ ]
Dr. Fausto Salaffi, Sonia Farah, Dr. Marina Carotti, Ing. Sandro Fioretti
For decades, diagnostic imaging in rheumatology has used conventional radiography. The development of imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and image processing methods provide rheumatologists with powerful tools that may hopefully lead to reliable diagnosis, quantitative evaluation and intuitive visualization. The standard open-source functional Digital Imaging and COmmunication in Medicine (DICOM) software, provides the tools for interactive reconstruction of 3D images and multiplanar reformatting of data from any imaging modality. OsiriX is a free and open-source DICOM software that allows anyone to reconstruct and manipulate 3D images. It is highly practical from the perspective of user-friendliness, and its high performance processing power allows rheumatologist to easily generate a variety of images in real time and select the most adequate view of the specific anatomical structures that are of interest. The present article aims to discuss the key issues related to diagnostic imaging in patients with inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases (CTDs) or systemic vasculitis, and to increase the awareness of rheumatologists about this field.
Dr. Fausto Salaffi, Sonia Farah, Dr. Marina Carotti, Ing. Sandro Fioretti
For decades, diagnostic imaging in rheumatology has used conventional radiography. The development of imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and image processing methods provide rheumatologists with powerful tools that may hopefully lead to reliable diagnosis, quantitative evaluation and intuitive visualization. The standard open-source functional Digital Imaging and COmmunication in Medicine (DICOM) software, provides the tools for interactive reconstruction of 3D images and multiplanar reformatting of data from any imaging modality. OsiriX is a free and open-source DICOM software that allows anyone to reconstruct and manipulate 3D images. It is highly practical from the perspective of user-friendliness, and its high performance processing power allows rheumatologist to easily generate a variety of images in real time and select the most adequate view of the specific anatomical structures that are of interest. The present article aims to discuss the key issues related to diagnostic imaging in patients with inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases (CTDs) or systemic vasculitis, and to increase the awareness of rheumatologists about this field.
