Modern 3D microscopy and visualization

The essence of scientific visualization is captured in microscopy. Microscopy systems are a proven valuable tool for biomedical research. Most of our present knowledge of structural organization in living organisms from the cellular to the molecular level is imprinted by microscopical findings. This tutorial provided an introduction into modem forms of 3-D microscopy (e.g., confocal, NMR, X-ray), and covered image quality considerations, microscopy setup, and computational considerations. Deconvolution techniques, image preprocessing, segmentation methods and various forms of 3-D rendering were reviewed. The effects of specimen preparation and image contrast on visualization were discussed. The use of stereo-imaging and virtual reality applications in modem 3-D microscopy was presented.