ImarisVantage offers the perfect analytical tool to create and present complex data sets visualized in Imaris. The users can now produce informative plots in which object data can be shown in multiple scalable dimensions overlaid with original 3D volume data.

With multiple views at your disposal, you can turn your 3D and 4D data into a dynamic gallery of individual objects. Also advanced time plots with spots, surfaces, filaments and cells can be created to display objects interactively as they undergo temporal changes. Finally, you can use ImarisVantage’s scatter plots to produce very detailed and customized views of data in four dimensions with additional scaling and color-coding for better understanding of underlying connections between objects.

All these analytical tools are now ready to use in ImarisVantage and similarly to other functions in Imaris, they use intuitive Creation Wizard. It guides the user through the step-by-step procedure to create the desired visualization optimizing the final plot and the data presented within. 

For example, a 3D data set with hundreds of surface objects can be visualized in ImarisVantage and displayed so that the X axis shows the area of objects, Y axis their volume and the Z axis is objects’ information on depth in a Z stack. In this representation, the user can immediately see their data rearranged in space so that is possible to find out that large objects may be preferentially located towards certain Z position in the stack. Similarly, other plots can be created where objects' properties may be remapped to show synaptic spines changes over time according to their thickness, acceleration and volume. 

Finally, the newly created plot can be further customized by the user for additional clarity of data, e.g. the objects shown in the 3D time plot can be color-coded according to their statistic of interest like sphericity or center of mass. 

In addition to these new powerful data visualization tools, all the data and views created in Imaris can be annotated with individual titles, captions, labels and other highlights for enhancing presentations or publications figures. Both custom text and calculated  statistical parameters (require ImarisMeasurement Pro) can be used to label each detected object.

With a few clicks users can add an annotation label to a figure that highlights some detail of the image. Then users can choose. Fully customizable, you can use different font styles and sizes as well as different styles and colors of arrows and text boxes just to mention a few from a range of possibilities for annotations appearance. ImarisVantage allows figures to be exported as an HTML-file, which can easily be opened in most text processors or presentation programs. The image created in ImarisVantage can also be exported by creating a snapshot.

With ImarisVantage you can save the figures with the image data and with the camera or viewing position in 4D space associated for each figure for easy modification if needed. 

The ImarisVantage functionality requires Imaris:

(1) Creation of Plots

ImarisVantage creates informative plots that help you represent complex, multi-dimensional data in a way that hidden relationships between analyzed objects become clear.

• Wizard-driven -use ImarisVantage wizard to create multiple plots. Spots, Surfaces, Filaments and Cells can all be used as input objects for various plots.

• Flexible - choose from 20 possible plots - select a more basic 3D data representation or an advanced time or scatter plots where your data can be remapped in multiple dimensions – XYZ, time, color and scale. 
• Intuitive - modify your plots to highlight certain features of the dataset and combine plots from the same analysis, e.g. show Spots and Filaments in the same plot figure. Navigate easily between multiple plots created from the same dataset.  
• Precise – modify and save plots’ creation parameters to reproduce them for similar data sets. Change attributes of rendered data in the Settings tab to update the plot display instantaneously.
• Powerful – take control of a vast array of plot options to tailor them to meet your exact analytical needs. Edit and view plots, align and scale objects, remap dimensions, overlay objects with original volume data. ImarisVantage has access to hundreds of statistical values available from Imaris MeasurementPro.

(2) Navigation and choice of styles

• Interactive - all plots created in ImarisVantage are interactive and can be viewed, rotated and navigated through just like any object in Imaris’ Surpass view. Similarly, all objects can be individually selected for closer examination and comparison of their associated statistical values.

• Familiar - use plot’s Settings tab to modify the style and number or features displayed in your image. Existing Imaris users will find out this process is identical to changing style of surfaces, spots, cells and filaments, the new users will discover and quickly learn how smoothly these parameters can be adjusted to their needs.  

(3) Numerical tables

The numbers behind all plots created in ImarisVantage can be found in the table underneath the main plot window. You can select objects from their visualization and delve into the statistical underpinnings of your scatter plot or gallery view. All values used in plot’s creation process can be exported as a .CSV, .XML or .XLS file for additional processing outside Imaris.

(4) Creation of Figures and Annotations

In addition to insightful plots, ImarisVantage allows for the creation of figures and annotations for presentations and publications with just a few clicks. It is as simple as that!

• Figures - Create figures for any view of Imaris: each figure will store the current view.

• Annotations - With a few clicks you can add an annotation label to a figure that highlights some detail of the image. Position the annotation by simply clicking and dragging, give it a title, and have it point to the detail of interest. The annotation box can be moved and resized at any time and the description area of the annotation can be closed or expanded as desired.
• Statistical Annotations - For every object that has been segmented within Imaris, the user can add statistical annotations that are displayed in 3D space at individual time points of that object. Parameters like speed, acceleration, displacement, area, track length and volume can be easily included within the image to create a new figure. A few clicks will let you select an object or objects of interest, select one or more statistical parameter from the extensive statistics list, and ImarisVantage inserts the statistical annotation within the image.

(5) Navigation and choice of styles

ImarisVantage provides an easy and convenient way to navigate within existing and saved figures. Choose from a range of style possibilities for annotation appearance to adapt output styles to requirements of the publication.

• Save And Reload - Save the figures with the 3D image and then reload the figure at a later stage to modify the visualization if necessary. Change the color of the background or modify the point of view of the 3D scene for example.

• Interactive 3D Navigation - The anchor point and the line of an annotation are dynamic and update as the user changes the view or the camera angle. This feature provides amazing usability when changing views or creating movies because the annotations never have to be realigned.
• Search Function - Navigate to an annotation by selecting it in the list or perform a textual search for the annotation based on the title or a keyword.
• Fonts – ImarisVantage offers the full range of different font styles and sizes available on your computer. You can also choose text color and format from a broad selection of possibilities.
• Annotations - Different styles and colors of arrows and text boxes are available within ImarisVantage. These items may be turned on or off at the users preference.

(6) Export of Figures and Plots 

ImarisVantage provides the necessary tools to export figures and plots easily. Both can be seamlessly imported into your favorite word processing or presentation software.

• Export Tab – The Export tab saves the figure as HTML file. Exported HTML includes snapshot with caption, annotations and image metadata. Plot’s numerical data can be exported as .CSV, .XML and .XLS file for further downstream processing. 

• Snapshot - The created figure or plot can be exported by creating a snapshot of the current view. You can also choose text color and format from a broad selection of possibilities.

The Statistical Annotations require MeasurementPro (and optional ImarisTrack for annotating track objects)