3.5. Alternative Ways to Load Images

3.5. Alternative Ways to Load Images
	Chapter 3. Loading and Viewing Images

Besides the way described above, there are variations.

3.5.1. Dragging Images onto the Workspace

Instead of adding the module, you can drag the image file

onto the workspace: An ImageLoad module is created automatically in the current network when you drag a DICOM or TIFF image file from a file browser onto the MeVisLab workspace. The dragged file is loaded automatically and available at the image output connector of the created ImageLoad module.

	Tip
	This mechanism also works for WEM files (creates a WEMLoad module) and CSO files (creates a CSOLoad module). For these module classes, see Chapter 15, Developing WEM and CSO Modules.

onto an existing ImageLoad module
onto the filename field of an existing ImageLoad module

3.5.2. Adding Images via the DICOM Browser

For loading DICOM files (or DCM/TIFF pairs, see Section 11.7, “Data Types for DICOM and TIFF”), you can use the DicomBrowser module.

With the DicomBrowser, DICOM images can be sorted by DICOM tags like institution, patient, modality, etc. The default browser path is set to the MeVisLab image path at $(InstallDir)/data. You can set your own default DicomBrowser path in the Preferences, section “Paths”.

Figure 3.22. DICOM Browser

3.5.3. Using the LocalImage Module

Instead of using the ImageLoad module, you can use LocalImage.

LocalImage is a macro module that allows for image selection based on relative paths. This method is recommended for image referencing because it enables an easier exchange of networks between cooperating parties. On the panel, the list of supported variables and their meaning is displayed.

Figure 3.23. LocalImage Module

Macro modules are a combination of an internal network and a script. You can open the internal network via the module's context menu or by pressing SHIFT and double-clicking the module. Alternatively, the internal network can be opened in the preview state of a network (see the MeVisLab Manual).

Figure 3.24. Show the Internal Network

In the case of LocalImage, the internal network consists of an ImageLoad only. The difference to that module is only in the scripting that offers relative instead of absolute paths to the file.

Figure 3.25. Internal Network of the LocalImage Module


3.4. Adding Viewers to ImageLoad		3.6. A Note on Importing DICOM Images