ImprocRAD

Image Processing and Analysis Software for Radiology Research

People who do image processing for fun and profit usually have a collection of commercial software packages that they swear by, and sometimes at.  But, they also have at least one package that they have written themselves because they have run across problems that are in some way special.  The package that I've written is called ImprocRAD.  It is presently limited to processing monochrome images of the type that dominate radiological imaging.  It is written using Microsoft Visual C .Net under the Microsoft Windows XP operating system.  Its strengths are in multi-modality image handling and full grey-scale presentation.   When ImprocRAD is launched, the screen shown below appears.

CURRENT VERSIONS:   The current ImprocRAD version numbers are:  Full--v_5.53,  Update--v_5.85. If your version number is lower than the full version, I recommend installing the current full version and then installing the update. The full version includes configuration and experiment files. If you wish to retain yours, copy them to another directory, and then copy them back after the installation.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS:   To download a free version of ImprocRAD select one of the two following hyperlinks: Full-Version or Update .  The file that you download is a self-extracting "ZIP"-archived file.   It is a 32-bit application, the fact that it has a ".com" extension has to do with the host server.  To extract the ImprocRAD files run the ".com" file, e.g., double click on it in File Explorer. If you are using Version 5.53 or later, there is an update button in the Configuration dialog box. Press that button and follow the instructions in order to update your version of ImprocRAD.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE: When you install ImprocRAD you should set the environment variable ImprocRadDir to the directory where the downloaded files reside.  Unfortunately the different flavors of Microsoft Windows give you access to the environment variables in different ways. In 95-98-ME the variable is set in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. To set the variable in those operating systems insert the line SET ImprocRadDir=<ImprocRadDirectory> where the angle brackets and their contents represent the directory where ImprocRAD has been installed. For example, in many of our installations  it is C:\ImprocRAD. After setting the variable, reboot your computer. In NT4.0-2000 the environment variable is set in the control panel using the System icon. In NT4.0 once the System dialog box appears, select the environment tab: enter ImprocRadDir in the variable edit control and the ImprocRAD Directory in the value control. PRESS SET then OK. In 2000, once you have the System dialog box on the screen, select the Advanced tab and the press the Environment Variables button, Next, enter ImprocRadDir in the variable-name edit control, enter   the directory in the variable-value edit control and press OK. In Windows XP, go to the control panel, select the Performance and Maintenance option, then System, then Advanced, then Environment Variables, press New under the user variables, enter the new variable then press successive OK's.  In order to check on whether the directory is visible to ImprocRAD, start the program, select Analysis, then the ImprocRAD button located in the Information group. Make sure that the ImprocRadDir directory (folder) shown is the one where the program is actually located.

INTEL LIBRARY DLL's:   Because of a change in Intel's licensing policies, ImprocRAD no longer supports this library..

DEFAULT READ AND WRITE DIRECTORIES: The first time that you run ImprocRAD, I recommend that you use the "Configuration" button to set the default read and write directories and then save your choices.

YOUR DESKTOP APPEARANCE: I also suggest that, the first time you start ImprocRAD, the "Configuration" button be used to save the color scheme for crash recovery. In the 256-color palette mode, ImprocRAD takes firm control of the system palette. When it exits normally it restores the palette to the internally-stored color scheme. Naturally, living in Tucson, I chose the "Desert" scheme. If you would like to maintain your own chosen scheme, then I recommend that you apply the ounce of prevention of saving the color scheme. You can change the stored scheme at any time by setting your desktop through the "Appearance" tab of the desktop properties dialog box, and then following the procedure outlined at the beginning of this paragraph. Finally, should ImprocRAD crash while in the 256-color palette mode the palette will appear to be horribly disfigured. Just start ImprocRAD again and exit normally in order to restore order to chromatic chaos.

The following hyperlinks display the "help" text files from an earlier version of ImprocRAD.

General Information I, General Information II, Copyright Notice , Configuration I, Configuration II, Test Patterns, Read, Flip or Rotate, Window and Level, Processing, Analysis I, Analysis II, Copy, Set Palette, Zoom Full, Print, Development,Cardiac I, Cardiac II, Mammography, Experiments, Write, Help, Exit Program.