The question often arises: if the results of an MRI or CT were given out on a disk, how to view the images? Indeed, in recent years, medical centers are increasingly resorting to issuing images on CD or DVD, and this is better than having images on film. Why is it possible. So how can you view MRI and CT images from a disk, using which program?

About the CT and MRI file format

The CT or MRI exam files on the disk are in a special DICOM format and cannot be opened with conventional image viewers. DICOM is a medical image format where, in addition to the actual picture, other information is “embedded” into each file – the patient’s name, age, image number, scanning mode designations, etc.

Programs for opening CT and MRI files

To open images from a CD, you will need a special program - a DICOM viewer. There are many such programs, paid and free. The most convenient of the free programs is Radiant DICOM Viewer. You can download it. This program can open absolutely any medical images in DICOM format, such as MRI, CT, PET-CT, X-ray, mammography, angiography, etc.

To open images with the Radiant program, you need to copy the entire contents of the disk to a folder on your computer, then go to the program, click the Scan folder for DICOM files button in the upper left corner and select this folder. You can read more about how the program works.

The best software for MAC-OS is Osirix. You can download the free desktop version. The iPhone and iPad version of Osirix is ​​available from the Apple Store or .

Often an MRI or CT is written to disk already with a viewer program. In this case, you do not need to disable autorun on your computer, and the viewer will start automatically. The disadvantage of such programs is that they are usually not very convenient to use. Therefore, we advise you to install Radiant anyway.

Remember that it does not even exclude the medical diagnosis, because the reliability of the diagnosis directly depends on the doctor's ability to decipher the pictures. Therefore, if there is any doubt about the diagnosis, doctors recommend getting a Second Opinion - an MRI or CT transcript from an expert-level radiologist in order to confirm or refute the diagnosis, as well as a more accurate and detailed description of the images. Russia has the National Teleradiological Network - a remote consultation service, through which anyone can contact leading diagnosticians from Moscow or St. Petersburg, send them research files and receive a qualified description. This consultation is of particular importance in oncological, neurological and other complex diseases.

We spend a lot of time thinking about how to make an interesting photo, but when looking at other people's photos, most often we don’t really think about what the author put into them.

As a general rule, unless we're evaluating photographs as visual art, we're evaluating images in terms of how technically the photographer rendered what they saw. And frankly, some photographs are really nothing more than images of tangible objects, they remind us of what we have seen or experienced. Restaurant food photos, selfies, and shots taken at events often fall into this category.

However, there are photographs that offer a different level of perception, they are revealed if we take the time to observe and decipher their visual language. The photographer deliberately creates and composes elements in the frame to express his idea, to push the viewer's eye in the right direction, to evoke feelings. These photos are about something. They require the participation of the viewer. Require interpretation of the information presented in them.

We must be able to read a photograph to avoid misinformation. Unlike other forms of art, photography depicts something real. But even the most “real” photograph is only a version of reality, interpreted by the photographer for the intended audience. Reading a photograph, we decode the author's interpretation.

How to read a photo

There are no hard and fast rules on how to read a photograph. In fact, your approach to deciphering the information embedded in the frame depends on your goals. For example, if you look at a photograph from a historical perspective, you spend most of your time scrutinizing the historical context, the clothing, setting, or cultural bias of the photographer, the prevailing social attitudes at the time the photograph was taken. On the contrary, if photography interests you from the point of view of its technology, then you will direct all your efforts to studying the techniques that the photographer used to depict the subject.

The historical, social, stylistic content of a picture can be perceived differently by different viewers. Moreover, often the same viewer changes his mind about a photograph over time.

So, how do we "read" a photograph? The guidelines are based on our understanding of how we see two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional space, and how we interpret visual elements, signs, and symbols according to our cultural background. Terry Barrett, an American art historian who specializes in reading photography, offers us the following formula:

Theme + Form + Technology + Context = Content

Subject: What is in the photo?

Start reading the photo by looking at what is in it. What people, places and objects are included in the photo? (Don't forget to look at the edges of the photo as well.) List the items and group them (mentally or on paper) into logical categories. See if there is any action. If so, how do the objects in the picture interact with each other - is there a connection between the actors? Are they touching or looking at each other? Is it possible to trace this or that ordering of objects? Plot logic?

The photo below has a boy, a ball, a half-open entrance, a camera, and some signs. There are also windows, a canal, railings, steps, lots of sun and some shade. The boy plays with the ball, there is a relationship between the boy and the ball. There is also a link between the "Carabinieri" (police) sign, the entrance and the security camera. The channel, the windows, the steps and the street represent the environment. There is no relationship yet between the boy, his ball, and the police, but the expectation that a relationship is about to emerge lends a palpable tension to the photograph.

Dawn Oosterhoff

When looking at a photograph, be sure to think about what is not in it. Can you assume that the missing items exist, but were left out of scope either intentionally or out of necessity? For example, in the photo above, the shadow on the ground suggests a large tree is off-screen, but in this photo it would be impossible to include that tree. Also missing is a playmate. Is the boy playing with the ball himself, or is the photographer deliberately excluding a playmate?

Form: How is the photo composed?

The nature of photography forces us to work with the frame, deciding what to include and what to exclude from the frame. Within this framework, we use various methods to guide the viewer's eye from one object to another and highlight some objects in relation to others. These compositional techniques tell us what is the main thing in the photo and what the photographer is trying to tell us.

Notice what the photographer chose to emphasize in the frame and by what method. How does the photographer direct our gaze? Analyze the position of the subject within the frame, the use of leading lines, depth of field and focus. What is the center of attention?

Sometimes a photographer may deliberately organize subjects before taking a photo. For example, in the case of a still life or a portrait. In other cases, the photographer is faced with a situation in which he is unable to influence the arrangement of objects, and then he must choose an angle, an angle of view that will help organize the space inside the frame. To see how a photo is structured and organized, try flipping it upside down or visualizing it as a pattern of spots and lines rather than a 3D image. What forms do you see? Are there lines or geometric shapes in the photo, are they repeated?

In the next image, the photographer uses lines and shapes to guide the viewer past the boy in the foreground to the second person who is the subject of this photo. The line of chairs in the foreground, the edge of the light coming in from the distant windows, the planks of the floor all point to the grandmother, who is seated in the center right. This is a compositionally strong point in the frame. The photographer also uses the archway to create a frame around the boy's grandmother and parents, seated at the back of the frame. If the viewer looks past the grandmother towards the parents and the windows in the background, the line created by the furniture along the right wall brings the viewer's gaze back to the grandmother. The photographer's composition tells you that the grandmother is the head of a three-generation family.

Canadian National Railways, Library and Archives Canada, e010860630.

Lights and shadows are also objects in the photo, so be sure to consider them when reading the shot. Pay attention to where the light and shadows are located. What are their forms? How are lights and shadows positioned in relation to the photo frame? What was placed in the light and what was placed in the shadow. What can light and shadow tell about photography and its history? For example, in the photo above, the light comes in from the windows in the background, "washing out" the parents in the highlights, but illuminating the grandmother beautifully. The boy occupying the largest physical space in the photograph is in the shadows. There is light from the window behind him, but it is a faint light that does not illuminate the boy's face or the book he is reading. What does light and shadow tell you about the boy and his place in the family?

Technology: what materials and processes were used?

Pay attention to the materials and processes used to create the piece of art. For photography, these are the equipment (camera and lens), the recording medium (digital or film, if film, then size and type), the process of developing or retouching, and the presentation of the final result (printed or web page, if printed, then size and type). paper, frame).

Historical photographs will be in black and white due to technology limitations, but modern photographs may be in color or black and white. Think about choosing a photographer and what that means for the story the photographer wants to tell. If the photograph is taken on film, even the choice of film type can significantly affect the image of the subject. Is the film high contrast and grainy, or is it low speed with wide dynamic range? If the photo is in color, have the colors been enhanced or altered, or if the photo is in black and white, has it been toned? Was the picture taken with a smartphone or large format camera? Did the photographer use a specific lens, such as a fisheye, to emphasize something in the frame?

When considering how the shot was taken, also consider the photographer's choice in the context of photography standards and practices at the time the shot was taken. Modern photography, presented in black and white, speaks of a conscious choice of the photographer, but the same photograph taken seventy or eighty years ago is bound to be in black and white due to the technology of that time. Similar contemporary photographer, using collodion plates, for example, adds layers of meaning to a photograph.

It's impossible to tell in the next photo if the shot was originally taken in color or black and white, but you can tell that black and white photography was tinted to create or enhance the atmosphere of the chilly cold of the landscape. The photo was taken with wide angle lens, allowing the photographer to create an impressive panoramic view. How does the choice of technique affect photography? How do you feel about this scenery?

Dawn Oosterhoff

When considering technology, also consider where and how the photograph is shown. The same image can evoke different interpretations depending on whether it's hanging in a gallery, printed in a magazine, or displayed on a website page. How would you read the above photo if you saw it as a banner in a travel magazine or environmental awareness material? Will your perception be different if the photo is printed on canvas 2 meters high, framed and hung in an art gallery?

Context: the circumstances in which the photo was taken?

Context involves consideration of the interrelated conditions in which the photograph was taken and in which it is displayed. It includes the cultural environment in which the photograph was taken; for example, the times, social beliefs, and cultural practices that led to the image and influenced the photographer. Still life with an abundance of seafood, tropical fruits and crystal can be evaluated in terms of texture, play of light and shadow, chromatic combinations, but if the photo was taken in the late 1800s, when seafood, tropical fruits and crystal were extraordinarily expensive and difficult to obtain, photography will be an expression of wealth. What if the same photo was taken during the food crisis: how does that change your interpretation?

The next frame can be read differently depending on where the shot was taken. The photo will tell one story if it was taken in a hospital waiting room, and another if the photo was taken at a transit stop. What if the photo was taken in a park or on a busy train? How does the story change if the person in the colorful robe turns out to be a relative, friend or stranger?

Dawn Oosterhoff

Defining context can be tricky when it comes to reading photos of conflict. Footage taken by a journalist included in a conflict group will have a different perspective than photographs taken by an outside observer or local journalist. Likewise, photographs taken in secret are likely to tell a different story than those taken by a press official. Just as important is who posts what photos and who photographs whom. The photographs published during the Arab Spring uprisings were taken by both foreign and local photographers. How will your cultural background influence how you read photos?

X-ray of the lungs - a summation image of the soft tissues of the chest. In the path of X-rays, some structures absorb and others reflect radiation. Such a game is displayed on x-ray film or digital media.

A radiologist reads an X-ray image consisting of a complex of shadows of white and gray colors. Their combination with each other forms an image that a specialist deciphers and makes a description.

Our specialists are ready to decipher readers' radiographs free of charge. We also suggest that you carefully deal with the complex of x-ray shading and clearing on your own.

X-rays of the lungs are normal

X-ray images of the lungs (thoracic organs) are analyzed according to the "PoChiFora and InRiCoS" scheme. How to decipher these terms:

• By - position;
• Chi is a number;
• Fo - form;
• Ra - dimensions;
• Ying - intensity;
• Ri - drawing;
• Co-contours;
• C - displacement.

This algorithm is taught to students of medical universities who are preparing to become radiologists.

Consider, for example, an x-ray of the lungs in a normal state:

It visualizes a lot of blackouts and brightenings (white and black) that can intimidate readers. In fact, this radiograph is simply deciphered (see the following picture)

All anatomical structures are labeled on the x-ray to make it easy for readers to understand. We suggest remembering the intensity of the lung fields. The norm does not imply the presence of pathological darkening (white) and enlightenment (dark color), which are not present in the image.

If you "fill your eyes", learn to clearly distinguish the norm from the pathology.

X-ray of healthy lungs, how to read

X-ray of healthy lungs should be described according to the classical standard. Pathological X-ray syndromes are recorded first, followed by lung fields, roots, domes of the diaphragm, costophrenic sinuses, cardiac shadow, and soft tissues.

How to make an x-ray of the lungs of a child correctly and without consequences

The classic algorithm for describing healthy lungs:

• In lung fields without visible focal and infiltrative shadows;
• The roots are not expanded, structural;
• Contours of the diaphragm and costophrenic sinuses without features;
• Heart shadow of the usual configuration;
• Soft tissues without features.

The above radiograph falls under given description.

Chest X-ray for pneumonia - pathology

X-ray of the lungs with pneumonia is a classic manifestation of pathology. We give an example of a picture with inflammatory changes in the lung tissue (pneumonia), so that readers understand how the norm differs from pathology.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the pictures below with pneumonia and in the norm. Answer the question, where the radiograph is normal and which is pathological. Determine which x-ray shows pneumonia.

Let's say that the darkening is small and localized above the aperture.

X-ray of healthy lungs is a classic of radiology, since radiology is focused on the detection of tuberculosis, cancer and pneumonia.

Reading the radiograph

On the presented radiograph of the lungs, an infiltrative shadow is visualized in the supraphrenic zone on the left. Roots are heavy. Costophrenic sinuses are not veiled. Heart shadow of classical configuration. Pathologies in soft tissues not tracked.

Conclusion: X-ray signs of left-sided segmental pneumonia. Recommended x-ray of the chest in the left lateral projection to establish the localization of blackout.

Digital X-ray - what is it and how to read it

The digital radiograph is a product of modern developments in radiology. In the era of the birth of X-ray diagnostics, in order to obtain an image after the passage of X-rays through the anatomical structures of the body, it was necessary to use fixatives, developers to create a photo negative. The process is similar to developing film by photographers.

Modern technology has made it possible to get rid of this time-consuming procedure. Film has been replaced by digital research. They involve the use of special sensors that register the intensity of the rays at the exit from the object of study and transmit information to software. It analyzes the signals and displays a digital image on the screen. It is analyzed by a radiologist. When reading a picture, a specialist gets the opportunity to enlarge or reduce the image, convert a negative into a positive, and many other functions.

Reading x-rays by independent radiologists online is a dream modern man. The service is pleased to offer this type of service to customers. Radiation diagnostics doctors (our consultants) meet with clinical situations every day, describe dozens of radiographs, MRI tomograms. High quality, affordable prices, providing consultations online, by phone, Skype allows doctors to be available to site users.

X-ray of the hip joints

Reading x-rays - features

Correct reading of x-rays is possible by an experienced radiologist. Immediately after graduation from the institute, a young specialist will not be able to correctly interpret the x-ray picture, since each person individual characteristics anatomy. Only over the years, the eye "learns" to distinguish the norm in the picture from the pathology.

Algorithm for assessing x-ray symptoms (syndromes of enlightenment, darkening):

• Position;
• Intensity;
• Number;
• Dimensions;
• Form;
• contours;
• Drawing;
• displacement.

Each x-ray syndrome should be assessed according to the above algorithm.

For example, let's take a radiologist reading x-rays of the lungs.

Protocol of X-ray examination of the patient (professional examination)

Type of study: fluorography of the lungs

On the presented digital roentgenogram of the lungs in direct projection, a thickening of the pulmonary pattern is observed in the projection of both lung fields. Roots are heavy. The contours of the diaphragm and costophrenic sinuses without features. Heart shadow of the usual configuration.

Conclusion: no infiltration is noted.

For a person without medical education It is difficult to understand medical terms, so we will explain them in more detail:

• Thickening of the lung pattern - an increase in the number of arteries and veins per square area of ​​the lungs;
• Tyazhisty roots - divergence of the vascular network in the form of strands. Occurs in chronic lung diseases;
• The contours of the diaphragm without features - the phrase describes the normal anatomical arrangement of the domes;
• Costophrenic sinuses without features - in the projection of the cavities there is no free fluid or fibrous growths;
• Cardiac shadow of the usual configuration - the anatomical structure of the heart is not changed.

This reading of X-ray images is normal. In the presence of pathological syndromes, radiologists describe in detail changes in the lungs first, and normal tissues last. There are two main radiological syndromes - darkening, enlightenment, on the basis of which each change on the radiograph can be described.

Reading a picture necessarily consists of descriptive and final parts. Each person is obliged to know the radiation dose received during the examination. It is indicated in the protocol of the radiological conclusion.

Interpretation of radiographs of the lungs is the most difficult branch of radiology. In this organ, a combined pathology is often traced. This happens for two reasons:

1. The lungs do not contain pain receptors;
2. Smoking is common among the population.

Radiologists know to carefully analyze the lung parenchyma. The initial manifestation of cancer is a slight darkening (about 5 mm). If you skip it, then in a few months the tumor will become large.

We offer independent reading of radiographs. If you have any doubts about the opinion of your radiologist, send the images to our specialists. Let's analyze x-ray syndromes, draw up a qualified conclusion. In difficult situations, we hold a consultation between radiologists, MRI, computed tomography.

Reading MRI images - how to decipher correctly

Reading MRI images creates difficulties not only for humans. Even a trained radiologist will not be able to decipher the magnetic resonance imaging. MRI analysis requires knowledge of the basics of imaging when passing an area of ​​interest through a magnetic field.

Reading radiographs of the lungs and paranasal sinuses

A radiologist, unlike a radiologist, has an idea not only about bone topography, but also about the location of the articular-ligamentous apparatus. When conducting MRI angiography, the specialist gets acquainted with the features of the course of arteries and veins in the area under study. High-quality radiography is impossible without knowledge of the structure of the human body.

Proper reading of MRI images requires certain practical experience. A qualified radiologist clearly distinguishes between normal and pathological opacities in radiographs. The young doctor often plays it safe by prescribing repeated shots for people when suspicious shadows are detected on the original version.

Reading radiographs in dentistry - features

In dentistry, the reading of radiographs is often performed by dentists. Private centers do not employ a radiologist. X-rays are taken by X-ray laboratory technicians, and read directly by the attending physician. Such an approach from the point of view of clinical medicine is a gross mistake.

Dentists are only interested in the condition of the dental canals and periodontal tissues. Specialists are not familiar with the X-ray intricacies of determining the syndromes of enlightenment and darkening. As a result of an unskilled approach, bone osteomas and other cancers will be missed.

When a malignant tumor is detected, dental treatment fades into the background, since the main task is to eliminate the tumor. We invite you to send dental x-rays to our doctors. They will form their own opinion.

Qualified radiology doctors offer services to site users - reading, decoding radiographs online, via Skype, by phone. If you doubt the competence of the conclusion, call or write to us!

One of the most simple ways, which can be used to determine the location of an object, is a search for similar images on Google or TinEye. If you find the name of the object, it will be easy to find out the name of the place where it is located. But this method does not always work. Therefore, you can try other methods. For example, to check something that is not visible in the photo, but which can give important insights about the image itself.

In metadata, as well as EXIF ​​data, you can find, among other things:

• Date and time the image was created
• Location data
• Camera model and image creation parameters (aperture, shutter speed, etc.)
• Information about the owner of the picture

This can be useful in checking two aspects: the place and time the photo was taken, and whether and how the image was edited.

Just information about geolocation (if it is in the metadata) can help to establish the shooting location with the utmost accuracy. But at the same time, the availability of geolocation data depends on several factors. First, from the device with which the photo was taken. In some chambers or mobile devices ah, there may not be a GPS sensor that fixes the coordinates. Secondly, from the desire of users of mobile devices - they can turn off geolocation due to privacy considerations or to reduce battery loads. Thirdly, the availability of such data depends on the resource on which the photo was published. Social networks Facebook, Twitter or Instagram remove metadata from the photos themselves when they are uploaded to the servers of these resources. But at the same time, they can directly show information about the location of the author of the photo (as well as the post / tweet), if he gave access to the GPS sensor of his mobile device.

Checking for metadata is pretty easy. You can load a photo file and right-click to open its properties. In the "Details" tab, all existing metadata will be collected. But for faster and effective analysis EXIF data, you can use special online resources. One of these resources is Jeffrey's Exif Viewer. Written and made public by an American programmer, this service analyzes and shows all available information from metadata.

For example, uploading to this service a photo published at the beginning of the text, we learn that it was taken on the iPad on October 6, 2013 at 16 ^ 59. Since the link to the photo was not taken from the Facebook or Twitter servers, the coordinate information remained in the metadata. The convenience of Jeffrey's Exif Viewer is that it immediately illustrates these coordinates on Google maps. Thus, we can not only determine that the photo was taken in Brno (Czech Republic), but we can even tell at what angle and in what direction. This can be useful when checking information about a particular object.

Another similar resource for metadata validation is − FindEXIF.com- works exactly the same and can be an alternative to Jeffrey's Exif Viewer. But it does not have the ability to upload photos. The service works only with links.

Photos from specific geographic locations can also be searched using panoramio. This service uses EXIF ​​data to publish photos on the map. However, Panoramio publishes landscape photos from different places more often than reportage photos from different events.

Another aspect that metadata can help verify is how the image was edited. This service may be useful. FotoForensics. You can directly upload a photo to the resource or simply insert a link to it. First of all, the service shows the existing metadata in the snapshot file, just like Jeffrey's Exif Viewer. From the metadata, you can get information about both the shooting date and the editing date. But FotoForensics also offers the so-called ELA (Error Level Alysis) - the level of file compression. This is a kind of scanner that shows image manipulations, even if they are not visible at first glance. Knowing the specifics of this data, you can effectively determine the extent and type of image editing. For example, whether a photomontage was used when editing an image.

The page of this resource has a lot of materials with recommendations and trial tasks for a more detailed analysis of images. Let's name just a few of them:

- areas of the same color with ELA should also have the same brightness. If with ELA some area of ​​the image is lighter than another of the same color, then it could be edited;

- each JPEG resave compresses the image, degrading its quality. Images that are too compressed will show noise;

- on the mounted image, the inserted object with ELA will be much brighter than other areas. Areas with high contrast (text, line, outline) will also be brighter;

— Graphic editors from Adobe leave traces of the color of the rainbow on the monotonous areas of the image. These traces will not necessarily be indicative of photomontage. For such traces to appear, it is enough to save the image using Adobe programs.

Fake photo of Hurricane Sandy. A television caption was superimposed on a frame from the film "The Day After Tomorrow" by means of editing

Not every photo, especially from social networks, will contain metadata with the date, author, and location. It would be too easy. But it is important to remember that checking the authenticity of content from the Web is always a process in which pieces of information are collected from different sources and using different tools. And the more tools involved in this process, the more complete the picture will become.