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Tips for Using the Visible Human Interactive
Atlas
One of the unique features of VHJOE is
the many links to the Visible Human Interactive Atlas (VHIA).
This tool is a powerful resource, enabling physicians to reference
actual planar anatomy that correlates to diagnostic images.
A tutorial with basic instructions for using the Atlas can
be found by clicking
here. This column provides additional information
about the Atlas, as well as, advanced tips for using the VHIA.
The VHIA will run on computers running either Windows or Macintosh
operating systems. The atlas will function slight differently
on the Macintosh operating system since it uses a one button
mouse. Differences will be explained in the sections that
follow.
The first step in using the VHIA is to install
the software that is necessary to run it. The VHIA is a Java
applet, a program written in the Java programming language
that usually runs in a web browser and cannot read from or
write to your hard drive. Java is a part of most web browsers
or is included in the operating system of most personal computers
and usually does not have to be installed. The use of interactive
3-dimensional models to navigate through the Visible Human
data necessitates additional software, GL4Java. This software
can be installed on PCs from http://visiblehumanexperience.com.
You may register for free at the website. The registration
requires giving your name and email address but is not used
to send emails. Then mouse over the words "Oblique Maker"
and choose install from the drop down menu. Macintosh and
PC users can also download the software at the GL4Java website
(http://www.jausoft.com/products/gl4java/gl4java_install.html).
To install the software, one must have administrator privileges
on the computer. One usually has these privileges on a personally
owned computer but may not on institutional computers.
Once GL4Java is installed the VHIA can be used. The basic
instructions can be read by pressing the "HELP"
button, which is located on the left side of the tools window.
This will also provide a link to the tutorial. There are many
features that are not explained in the basic instructions
or tutorial.
USING THE MOUSE IN THE 3D WINDOW
Take a look at the Tools window shown in
Figure 1. The combination "Drag the Mouse to…"
and "Type of Motion" determines what will move and
how the mouse motion with the left button depressed will effect
its movement. For example, with the "Move Image Plane"
selected for the "Drag the Mouse to…" and
the "Move Horiz./Vert." selected for the "Type
of Motion", as shown here, dragging with the left mouse
button depressed will cause the image plane to pan across
the screen.
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| Figure
1 |
To get the image plane to rotate with the left mouse button,
you could change the "Type of Motion" to "Rotate."
Then dragging using the left mouse button would cause the
image plane to rotate about its center. However, you can also
get the image plane to rotate by pressing the right mouse
button and dragging. In addition, pressing the right and middle
buttons simultaneously and dragging will cause the image plane
to move in and out of the screen. It is possible to
achieve any desired image plane position and orientation by
using combinations of the left, middle, and right buttons.
This makes positioning and orienting the image plane far faster
and easier than continually altering the "Type of Motion"
option and using only the left mouse.
To move the models, including the image plane, select "Move
All Models" as the option for "Drag the Mouse to…."
Note that with the cursor in the 3-D model window, you can
toggle between the choices of "Move Image Plane"
and "Move All Models" by simply double clicking
the left mouse button. Then dragging with the right button
will rotate the models, dragging with the middle button will
pan the models, and dragging with the middle and right buttons
will cause the models to move in and out of the screen. Dragging
with the left button will cause the models to do whatever
is selected as the "Type of Motion."
Pressing keys can also alter the function of the mouse on
both PCs and Macs. Pressing the alt key (option on a Mac)
and the left mouse button does the same thing as pressing
the center mouse button. Pressing the shift key and left mouse
button is the equivalent to pressing the center and right
mouse buttons. Pressing the control key and the left mouse
button is the same as pressing the right and left mouse buttons.
On the Mac, the command key will mimic the right mouse button
on a PC.
ORIENTATION IN THE 3D WINDOW
There are two tools to aid in orientation
in the 3D window, Blockhead in the upper right corner of the
window and the colored image plane (Figure 2).
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| Figure
2 |
Blockhead serves as a compass to indicate
the directions the overall view has been rotated. The view
of Blockhead corresponds to the orientation of the models.
If you are viewing Blockhead from behind, you are also viewing
the models from behind.
The image plane in the 3D window represents the space occupied
by the generated anatomic image. It has red and blue markers
that correspond to the orientation of the anatomic slice.
The large blue rectangle corresponds to the top of the image
as you would view it and wraps onto the top edge of the plane.
The large red rectangle corresponds to the bottom of the image
as viewed from behind the image and wraps onto the bottom
edge of the plane. The edge of the plane that corresponds
to the right side of the anatomic image has a small red marker
in the center and the edge that corresponds to the left side
has a blue marker.
USING THE MOUSE BUTTONS IN THE OBLIQUE
WINDOW
Dragging the mouse in the oblique window
will allow you to measure objects. A double click will toggle
on and off the labels of structures as an overlay on the anatomic
image. If the labels are off, the name will appear in the
title bar of the window and measurements will appear as an
overlay. If the labels are on, the measurement will appear
in the title bar.
NEW FEATURES
Originally, the planar anatomic image in
the oblique window was generated by clicking a button. It
is now automatically retrieved when the mouse drag is completed.
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Figure 3 |
The image plane can now be moved in steps
perpendicular to the plane. Pressing the "STEP +"
button in the Tools window will move the plane a small increment
in the direction of the side with the large blue rectangle.
(See Figure 3.) The "STEP –" button will move
the plane a small increment in the opposite direction. (See
Figure 3.) If "Move Plane" is selected, dragging
with the left, right, and center mouse buttons simultaneously
depressed while in the 3-D models window will move the plane
along an axis perpendicular to the plane. Dragging with left
button and the shift and alt (option) keys pressed will do
the same.
To move the image plane in a direction parallel to the plane,
drag the mouse with the center mouse button pressed in the
"Oblique Section" window. This will also move the
anatomic image in the "Oblique Section" window.
The same action can be achieved by dragging with the left
mouse button pressed while the alt (option) key is pressed.
To ensure the newest features are working on your computer,
you should delete the temporary internet files or browser
cache. On Internet Explorer, choose "Internet Options…"
from the "Tools" menu. Then, choose the "General"
tab and push the "Delete Files…" button in
the Temporary Internet files section.
SAVING YOUR WORK
The entire state of the VHIA can be saved
in two ways by clicking the "SAVE STATE" button
in the Tools window. As shown in Figure 4, a new browser window
will open with a page that says "SAVE THIS PAGE AS AN
HTML PAGE OR BOOKMARK." By choosing "Add to Favorites
…" in the "Favorites" menu on Internet
Explorer, the state can be saved as a favorite or bookmark.
Choosing this favorite at a later time will restart the VHIA
applet with the same models in the same position and with
the same anatomic image as when the state was saved.
By choosing "Save as …"
from the "File" menu on Internet Explorer and then
saving as a webpage, a file can be saved. Opening this file
at a later time will open the VHIA applet in the saved state.
The planar anatomic image can be saved by itself as a JPEG
image. This is done simply by clicking the "SAVE JPEG"
button in the Tools window. A new browser will open with the
single image in it. The image can be saved by right clicking
on the image or choosing "Save as …" from
the "File" menu.
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