title: Colorful brains: 14 years of display practice in functional neuroimaging.
abstract: Neuroimaging results are typically graphically rendered and color-coded, which influences the process of knowledge generation within neuroscience as well as the public perception of brain research. Analyzing these issues requires empirical information on the display practice in neuroimaging. In our study we evaluated more than 9000 functional images (fMRI and PET) published between 1996 and 2009 with respect to the use of color, image structure, image production software and other factors that may determine the display practice. We demonstrate a variety of display styles despite a remarkable dominance of few image production sites and software systems, outline some tendencies of standardization, and identify shortcomings with respect to color scale explication in neuroimages. We discuss the importance of the finding for knowledge production in neuroimaging, and we make suggestions to improve the display practice in neuroimaging, especially on regimes of color coding.
authors: Institute of Biomedical Ethics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. christen@ethik.uzh.ch
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Christen
authors: Deborah A
authors: DA
authors: Vitacco
authors: Lara
authors: L
authors: Huber
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Harboe
authors: Sara I
authors: SI
authors: Fabrikant
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Brugger
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003116:Color; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen