BrainPainter: A software for the visualisation of brain structures, biomarkers and associated pathological processes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Computer Graphics

Background:

• Current neuroimaging software often requires specialized data formats and has limitations in visualizing complex brain structures and dynamic processes.
• There is a need for versatile tools that can integrate with various neuroimaging analysis pipelines and offer advanced visualization capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce BrainPainter, a novel software for automatic generation of highlighted brain structure images.
• To showcase BrainPainter's advantages over existing visualization tools, including data format flexibility, comprehensive structure visualization, and dynamic process movie generation.
• To demonstrate the utility of BrainPainter in analyzing neuroimaging data for conditions like Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.

Main Methods:

• BrainPainter utilizes numerical input corresponding to color outputs for each brain region.
• It integrates with the Blender 3D computer graphics engine to leverage advanced visualization features.
• The software is accessible via a web browser and as a Docker container for ease of use.

Main Results:

• BrainPainter successfully generates visualizations from non-specialized input data, compatible with any neuroimaging analysis tool.
• It visualizes both cortical and subcortical brain structures effectively.
• Use cases demonstrated include visualizing atrophy, Alzheimer's disease progression, and Huntington's disease pathology, including dynamic movie generation.

Conclusions:

• BrainPainter offers a flexible, user-friendly solution for brain visualization in neuroscience research.
• Leveraging Blender's capabilities, it expands possibilities for visualizing complex brain data and dynamic processes.
• The software is adaptable for various applications, from biomarker data visualization to anatomical education.