The Study Editor

The study can be edited to make importing into CHOP-fMRU feasible. Change to the study of interest using the Change Study dialog as above. Then, click the Study Editor button. The program will analyze all images for this study, which can be tracked with the progress bar at the bottom of the form. After processing is done, the Study Editor form will appear.

Different series in the study can be selected with the ComboBox in the top left. The series are listed based on their Series UIDs, which are normally hidden in a PACS environment. Selecting a series will show the series description underneath the ComboBox. The images for the study will be sorted by time and position and represented as a grid in the panel on the left. The selected image will be displayed on the right. The grid on the left can be navigated by clicking and using the arrow keys.

Series and images can be excluded, a useful tool to prepare the study for import into CHOP-fMRU. Excluded files are not deleted but are instead moved to the exclude directory within the input_files directory of the CHOP-fMRU_Assistant database. If you want to undo exclusion and reset the study to its original state, clicking Restore excluded portions will move all files from the exclude directory back to the parent input_files directory.

CHOP-fMRU requires that only dynamic images be imported. Other series can be excluded by clicking the Exclude series button. Do this until only dynamic images are left. The CHOP-fMRU creators also recommend high quality MIPs for inclusion, but we have not used these as the CHOP-fMRU will also generate MIPs from the individual dynamic images.

CHOP-fMRU also requires that the dynamic series be complete. That is, every slice position and every time within the square grid has an associated image. If there are missing images, the import will fail. This situation is represented in the grid of the Study Editor form with red cells.

This problem can be addressed by excluding any slice positions or times from the study that do not contain enough members. Select the desired image and click Exclude this time or Exclude this position, as desired.

CHOP-fMRU cannot handle an excessive number of images. This problem was encountered at our institution when the matrix size was set too large for a study. To address this, tools were also included to exclude images from before or after a certain time or slice position. The corresponding buttons are also available.