Abstract NLM launched its AnatLine database of Visible
Human Project images and segmentations in April of 2000.This database incorporates a search feature to locate a structure of
interest, its component parts, and regions or systems of which it is a part.The file format incorporates several kinds of data and
metadata, including cross sections digitized from the 70 mm film and
segmentation masks for both black and white and color data.The programs needed for viewing as well as for parsing this complex file
format into its component parts are downloaded from the AnatLine website to
allow viewing and unpacking of data for individual structures within a larger
unit (e.g., heart) or region (e.g., mediastinum).Software created by the coauthor (JES) was used to interpret
the information files and segmentation maps and to expand these into a series of
cross sectional images of each structure in correct orientation in space with
unrelated pixels in the image set to black.This greatly facilitated the surface reconstruction using our IsoView
software system since the segmentation mask included only data
including the object of interest. IsoView was then used to smooth the models and
to construct scenes by assembling selected subcomponent surface models, whose
appearance was also selected as the texture map derived from the cross sectional
color images, or with colors, shading and transparency determined by IsoView.Simplification (decimation) of the surface models and conversion to
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) was accomplished using another utility
program.
