title: A Web platform for the interactive visualization and analysis of the 3D fractal dimension of MRI data.
abstract: This study presents a Web platform (http://3dfd.ujaen.es) for computing and analyzing the 3D fractal dimension (3DFD) from volumetric data in an efficient, visual and interactive way. The Web platform is specially designed for working with magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the brain. The program estimates the 3DFD by calculating the 3D box-counting of the entire volume of the brain, and also of its 3D skeleton. All of this is done in a graphical, fast and optimized way by using novel technologies like CUDA and WebGL. The usefulness of the Web platform presented is demonstrated by its application in a case study where an analysis and characterization of groups of 3D MR images is performed for three neurodegenerative diseases: Multiple Sclerosis, Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Alzheimer's disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Web platform that allows the users to calculate, visualize, analyze and compare the 3DFD from MRI images in the cloud.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain. Electronic address: jjibanez@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Navas
authors.affiliation: Service of Neurology, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villoslada
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz de Miras
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: 3D fractal dimension; Box-counting; CUDA; Magnetic-resonance imaging; Skeleton; WebGL