File Menu

New
Sets the 'current file name' to a new value and clears any frames which may have already been recorded. By default, the new file name will be of the form 'stradwin_data_1.sw', 'stradwin_data_2.sw' etc. However, the first part of this name can be edited in the record task page. The automatic file name will then be this field suffixed by the first number for which the file does not already exist.
Open
Loads an existing Stradwin data file pair. Only the name of the '.sw' file need be specified. The binary data file will also load automatically. Alternatively, can be used to open DICOM or other image data if 'All files' is selected.
Open directory
Searches a directory (and the sub-directories) for any series of DICOM or other image data. If more then one series is found, they are displayed so you can select which one to open. The subsequent stradwin file, if saved, is placed above the relevent sub-directory, and refers to the sorted order of files in that directory: hence the directory should not be changed once a stradwin file has been saved.
Save
Saves data under its current file name. Both the '.sw' and '.sxi' files will be saved.
Save as
Saves data under a new file name. Only the '.sw' file name is specified, but the binary data will also be be saved in a '.sxi' file. If DICOM data has been loaded, the default is to only update the '.sw' file, but it is also possible to save the image data as a new '.sxi' file, containing 8-bit windowed versions of the original data. If RF data has been recorded, then it can be saved either as RF or as a set of B-scans.
Close
Closes the current file.
Edit comment
Displays a simple text dialog box for editing the current comments associated with the loaded data file. These comments are also available in readable form at the top of the '.sw' file.
Export frames
Saves the current frame or any range of frames either as individual images, or a Stradwin file, as described in exporting frames below.
Export volumes
Saves two sequential volumes of data (when using a 3D probe) as a Stradwin file. These volumes can be chosen using a volume selector.
Export voxels
Saves data as a uniform 3D array, aligned with the current reslice visualisation, either as a set of images, or a Stradwin file, as described in exporting voxels below.
Grab review window
Grabs a snapshot of the review (top left) window and saves it to a file of your choice. Unlike the 'frame export' option, this will also include any contours or landmarks which can currently be seen in the window. Note that this can also be used in a script to create an animation based on this window.
Grab 3D window
Grabs a snapshot of the 3D (top right) window and saves it to a file of your choice. Note that this can also be used in a script to create an animation based on this window.
Grab centre/left window
Grabs a snapshot of the main reslice (bottom left or centre) window and saves it to a file of your choice. Unlike the 'save reslice' button, this will also include any contours or landmarks which can currently be seen in the window. Note that this can also be used in a script to create an animation based on this window.
Grab right window
Grabs a snapshot of the other reslice (bottom right) window and saves it to a file of your choice. Unlike the 'save left' or 'save right' buttons, this will also include any contours or landmarks which can currently be seen in the window. Note that this can also be used in a script to create an animation based on this window.
Open template
Loads an existing template file. (This duplicates the functionality provided by the templates task page.)
Save as template
Saves the current configuration and calibration of the system as a template file.
Quit
Exits Stradwin.

Stradwin data files

Stradwin data sets are usually stored in a pair of files. One file has the suffix '.sw' and contains the probe calibration, the 3D position of each frame and all the relevant configuration information. This is an ASCII text file which can be viewed using a simple text editor. The second file of each pair has the suffix '.sxi' and contains the image data in a binary format. The exception is when you are working with DICOM or image data, in which case there is no '.sxi' file.

When you load a prerecorded data set, information is loaded from both these files. Stradwin temporarily changes the calibration and relevant configuration settings to match the settings when the data was recorded. The calibration and configuration settings revert to their previous values when you close the file or select the 'New' option from the file menu.

Detailed information on the format of Stradwin data files can be found here.

Stradwin template files

Stradwin template files contain probe calibration and configuration information to set up the system for recording with a particular probe at a particular depth setting. The configuration information sets up the controls on the images and positions configuration dialogs. When a template file is loaded, it permanently changes the values of the probe calibration parameters and configuration information within Stradwin.

Detailed information on the format of Stradwin template files can be found here.

Exporting frames

This feature can be used either to export frames in one of a number of common image formats, or to create a new Stradwin data file with a reduced set of frames. The latter is useful if the recorded data contains frames which are of poor quality, for instance.

First enter the range of frames that you wish to export. This is a text field which operates in a similar manner to entering a range of pages when printing a document. You can specify individual frames, ranges of frames, ranges of frames with a defined number to skip, or any combination of these. The default is to export the currently displayed frame.

Stradwin then prompts for a file name and file type to save the data to. If an image format is selected, then the frames are saved as individual images to files in this format. If more than one frame has been selected, the file name used for each frame is appended with the number of the original frame. Hence a frame range of '1-2' and a file name of 'bscan.jpeg' will cause the data to be saved to files 'bscan1.jpeg' and 'bscan2.jpeg'.

If the selected format is 'Stradwin file', then the selected frames and any corresponding landmarks and object contours, as well as all associated configuration information, will be saved to a Stradwin file. In this case, the new Stradwin file is also loaded into Stradwin so that it becomes the current data set. If the existing data has not already been saved, Stradwin will warn that it may be lost before completing the export.

Exporting voxels

Stradwin data files only contain the original recorded B-scans or RF data. Since these are recorded as the ultrasound probe is moved by hand, they are neither regularly spaced nor parallel. The visualisation tools in Stradwin are optimised to work directly from such data, in order to maintain the highest possible resolution in every image. Outlining of objects in Stradwin is always performed in the original image frames, since the many artefacts common in ultrasound images are much better understood in these images.

By contrast, most general visualisation tools expect data to be arranged in a regularly spaced grid. The voxel export utility is provided to enable Stradwin data to be visualised in such tools. However, it should be noted that visualisations from voxelised data (other than those exactly aligned with the exported grid) will not be as precise as those available within Stradwin, and extreme care should be exercised when outlining objects in such data, since common ultrasound artefacts will appear in uncommon forms.

Voxel arrays are exported aligned to the current reslice, orthogonal or isocentre visualisation, whichever is selected. In the case of orthogonal visualisation, the alignment is with respect to the left of the two reslices. The width and height of each slice of data will be exactly the same as in the displayed reslice, and the number of slices will be chosen to cover the full extent of the 3D data. For the isocentre visualisation, the data will be exported in the current isocentre coordinates, whereas reslice and orthogonal visualisations will be exported in position sensor coordinates. Using the reslice visualisation, and setting the location with the 'Locate for minimum voxels' button, will ensure that all the data is exported in an orientation which minimises the size of the output data.

First select the resolution for the exported data. This can either be chosen as some integer multiple of the current image pixel width, or alternatively fixed slice separations of 1mm to 20mm can be selected. In each case, the approximate size of the exported data file is displayed.

Stradwin then prompts for a file name and file type to save the data to. If an image format is selected, then each slice is saved as individual images to files in this format. The file name used for each slice is appended with the number of the slice in the sequence. Hence a file name of 'voxels.jpeg' will cause the data to be saved to files 'voxels0.jpeg' etc.

If the selected format is 'Stradwin file', then the voxel array is saved in Stradwin format, where each new 'frame' actually corresponds to one slice from the voxelised data. The coordinate system is preserved, so a landmark placed on the original data will still appear in the same location in the voxel array data. Any current landmarks are also exported in addition to the data. If there are any current surfaces, the intersection of these surfaces with each slice is saved with the data. When the exported voxel array is re-loaded into Stradwin, these will appear as new object contours.