The image fusion tool is a plug-in module for superimposing PET/CT and SPECT/CT images into a single volume. Tools include orthogonal and volume oriented view controls, alpha blending, color spectrum application, and MIP view. The plug-in applies to studies whose image series share complementary spatial resolution characteristics, meaning they were acquired on a single machine as part of a single procedure.
The image fusion plug-in module has workstation requirements.
Processor speed: greater than 2GHz
RAM: minimum is twice the size of the series loaded into the fusion frame
Display controller:
Video RAM: minimum of 256MBs
Support for Direct X v9.0 drivers dated August, 2008 or more recently
Support for PixelShader 2.0 or later.
Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP SP1/Vista/7
Attempts to invoke the fusion plug-in module on a machine with insufficient resources may display one or more warnings or error messages. If so, the plug-in may appear to process the data correctly but performance may be poor and results cannot be guaranteed. Do not use the fusion plug-in until you are able to load the plug-in without receiving any pop-up notices.
If a fusion license exists on the server and the user account is configured to use the plug-in module, the viewer prompts the user to download and install it on the workstation. Once downloaded the plug-in installs automatically and is ready to use. To invoke the fusion plug-in module,
Drop a series from the thumbnail panel into an image frame.
From the Post-Processing menu, expand the Image Fusion submenu and chose Create. The plug-in is ready to use when the progress bar disappears, the data is 100% downloaded, the image frame becomes a plug-in frame with toolbar displayed on the border, and the default layout appears.
To fuse the loaded series with another, drag and drop another series into the image frame running the plug-in module. A progress bar pops up while the plug-in module processes the data. When finished, the progress bar disappears and all series loaded into the plug-in frame appear fused together on the screen.
Additional details on the image fusion tool are available in the viewer manual, available from the server's Help tab.