Purpose

Note: The OsiriX MeVisLab bridge is discussed in detail in the OsiriXMeVisLabBridge guide.

The OsiriXBridge is part of a bridge between MeVisLab and the OsiriX Advanced PACS Viewer consisting of the OsiriXMeVisLabBridge plugin for OsiriX 3.3 or later and this module. MeVisLab and OsiriX must be running on the same computer.

Usage

Enable the Convert original DICOM slices … option and connect the Converted DICOM dataset filename field of the OsiriXBridge module to the filename field an ImageLoad module. Install the OsiriXMeVisLabBridge plugin for OsiriX, place the Send to MeVisLab icon onto the toolbar, and send a selected series from the database window in OsiriX to MeVisLab by clicking the Send to MeVisLab toolbar icon in OsiriX. The converted dataset will be loaded by the ImageLoad module.

If you want to store a processed dataset into the OsiriX database use the DicomTool macro module and save the dataset slice by slice to the Incoming folder of the OsiriX database. The path to this folder can be obtained from the OsiriX incoming folder field of the OsiriXBridge module. Simply, connect the OsiriX incoming folder field to the exportBaseDir field of the DicomTool macro module and trigger the saveSlices field.

Installation of the PlugIn

Installation of the PlugIn is supported via the OsiriX Setup tab. Activate the Install OsiriX PlugIn button to hand the PlugIn to OsiriX for installation. OsiriX must be already running to perform the installation. If you would like to manually install the PlugIn, the Show OsiriX PlugIn button will reveal the PlugIn’s location in Finder.

Details

The OsiriXBridge uses Objective-C distributed objects to establish a bidirectional communication between OsiriX and MeVisLab. OsiriX sends the filenames of all slices of the current dataset which are then converted by the EatDicom utility of MeVisLab depending on the state of the Convert original DICOM slices into a MeVisLab DICOM dataset field. The resulting filename is passed to the Converted DICOM dataset filename field of the OsiriXBridge module.

The import of the DICOM slices sent by OsiriX is performed by the EatDicom import tool, a command line utility that can also be used independently of MeVisLab (e.g. as a background process). A number of command line parameters are available to fine-tune the import process, a list of these parameters is displayed by clicking the Help button in the Advanced Conversion Setup tab.

Tips

The module logs some run-time information to the console (using NSLog()) that might be useful in detecting abnormal behavior.

Currently, the following limitations are known:

  • the dataset sent from OsiriX is always converted even if the dataset has already been sent to MeVisLab

Parameter Fields

Visible Fields

Alternative target name

name: alternativeTargetName, type: String

An alternative name for this module in the target pop-up menu of the Send to MeVisLab toolbar icon in OsiriX. The name will take precedence over the instanceName field of the module if set (non-empty). The target name must be unique.

Update

name: updateClientInfo, type: Trigger, deprecated name: osirixIncomingDirUpdate

Forces an update of the information presented in the OsiriX incoming folder and Client Id fields.

OsiriX incoming folder

name: osirixIncomingDir, type: String, persistent: no

The standard DICOM images put into the Incoming folder of the OsiriX database will be imported into the OsiriX database automatically. OsiriX will check that folder every few seconds. At module creation, the OsiriXBridge module tries to connect to OsiriX to retrieve the location of this Incoming folder. You may update the information presented in this field by triggering the Update field

Client Id

name: clientAppBundleId, type: String, persistent: no

The client application id (e.g. com.rossetantoine.osirix). Can be used to distinguish different client applications (e.g. OsiriX and Horos).

DICOM slices file list

name: slicesFileList, type: String, persistent: no

A list of DICOM filenames received from OsiriX. The slices list may be used with the DirectDicomImport module.

Convert original DICOM slices into a MeVisLab DICOM dataset

name: useEatDicom, type: Bool, default: FALSE

Convert original DICOM slices into the DICOM/TIFF MeVisLab format suitable for use with the ImageLoad module.

DICOM storage directory

name: dataStoreDir, type: String

The directory into which the converted DICOM/TIFF MeVisLab datasets will be stored (User’s temporary directory if empty).

DICOM processing options

name: eatDicomOptions, type: String, default: $(EatDicomOptions)

Additional options to the eatDicom import tool. Activate the Defaults button to apply the default options as defined via the EatDicomOptions preferences variable of MeVisLab. To display all available eatDicom options use the Help button.

Eat Dicom Output

name: eatDicomOutput, type: String, persistent: no

Present the standard and error output of the eatDicom import tool. This helps to identify import problems.

Converted DICOM dataset filename

name: filename, type: String, persistent: no

Read-only field that refers to the converted DICOM/TIFF MeVisLab dataset received from OsiriX.

Hidden Fields

instanceName

name: instanceName, type: String, default: OsiriXBridge

The instanceName field specifies the default target name of this module in the target pop-up menu of the Send to MeVisLab toolbar icon in OsiriX if the Alternative target name field is empty. The target name must be unique.