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Getting Started with IDL: Volume Visualization |
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IDL can be used to visualize multi-dimensional volume datasets either at the command line or using the new iVolume tool. Given a 3-D grid of density measurements, IDL can display a shaded surface representation of a constant-density surface (also called an iso-surface). For example, in medical imaging applications, a series of 2-D images can be created by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. When stacked, these images create a grid of density measurements that can be contoured to display the surfaces of anatomical structures.
This chapter demonstrates the use of the SHADE_VOLUME and POLYSHADE commands for iso-surface visualization at the command line. The chapter then concludes with a brief look at the interactive iVolume tool.
| Note To simplify obtaining useful results from the command line examples in this manual, create a bitmap buffer for your graphic windows by entering the following command at the IDL command prompt: DEVICE, RETAIN=2, DECOMPOSED=0 |
IDL Online Help (March 06, 2007)