Surface data visualization

This page contains descriptions and examples to visualize and manipulate surface data.

How to zoom and rotate surfaces 🔍

Users can manipulate cortical and subcortical surfaces within the Python and Matlab viewers. To zoom in and out: Scroll up and down on trackpad or mouse wheel (Python) or use the magnifying glass buttons in the figure toolbar and click on the surface (Matlab). To rotate surfaces in 3D: Click and hold down the left mouse button and move it around (Python) or press the 3D rotate figure toolbar button then click and hold down the left mouse button and move it around (Matlab).

Cortical surface visualization

ENIGMA TOOLBOX comes equipped with fsaverage5 and Conte69 cortical midsurfaces and numerous parcellations. Following the examples below, we can easily map parcellated data (e.g., Desikan-Killiany) to fsaverage5 surface space (i.e., vertices). In the following example, we will display cortical atrophy in individuals with left TLE.

Prerequisites
↪ Load summary statistics, example data, or your own dataZ-score data (mega only)
>>> from enigmatoolbox.utils.parcellation import parcel_to_surface
>>> from enigmatoolbox.plotting import plot_cortical

>>> # Map parcellated data to the surface
>>> CT_d_fsa5 = parcel_to_surface(CT_d, 'aparc_fsa5')

>>> # Project the results on the surface brain
>>> plot_cortical(array_name=CT_d_fsa5, surface_name="fsa5", size=(800, 400),
...               cmap='RdBu_r', color_bar=True, color_range=(-0.5, 0.5))
% Map parcellated data to the surface
CT_d_fsa5 = parcel_to_surface(CT_d, 'aparc_fsa5');

% Project the results on the surface brain
f = figure,
    plot_cortical(CT_d_fsa5, 'surface_name', 'fsa5', 'color_range', ...
                  [-0.5 0.5], 'cmap', 'RdBu_r')
⤎ If you have meta-analysis data (e.g., summary statistics)
⤏ If you have individual site or mega-analysis data
>>> from enigmatoolbox.utils.parcellation import parcel_to_surface
>>> from enigmatoolbox.plotting import plot_cortical

>>> # Before visualizing the data, we need to map the parcellated data to the surface
>>> CT_z_mean_fsa5 = parcel_to_surface(CT_z_mean, 'aparc_fsa5')

>>> # Project the results on the surface brain
>>> plot_cortical(array_name=CT_z_mean_fsa5, surface_name="fsa5", size=(800, 400),
>>>               cmap='Blues_r', color_bar=True, color_range=(-2, 0))
% Map parcellated data to the surface
CT_d_fsa5 = parcel_to_surface(CT_z_mean{:, :}, 'aparc_fsa5');

% Project the results on the surface brain
f = figure,
    plot_cortical(CT_z_mean_fsa5, 'surface_name', 'fsa5', 'color_range', ...
                  [-2 0], 'cmap', 'Blues_r')
../../_images/d_ctx.png

Subcortical surface visualization

The ENIGMA TOOLBOX’s subcortical viewer includes 16 segmented subcortical structures obtained from the Desikan-Killiany atlas (aparc+aseg.mgz). Subcortical regions include bilateral accumbens, amygdala, caudate, hippocampus (technically not subcortical but considered as such by FreeSurfer), pallidum, putamen, thalamus, and ventricles. In the following example, we will display subcortical atrophy in individuals with left TLE.

We’ve mentioned this already, but don’t forget that…

Subcortical input values are ordered as follows: left-accumbens, left-amygdala, left-caudate, left-hippocampus, left-pallidum, left-putamen, left-thalamus, left-ventricles, right-accumbens, right-amygdala, right-caudate, right-hippocampus, right-pallidum, right-putamen, right-thalamus, right-ventricles! You can re-order your subcortical dataset using our reorder_sctx() function. *Ventricles are optional.

Prerequisites
↪ Load summary statistics or example dataRe-order subcortical data (mega only)
↪ Z-score data (mega only)
>>> from enigmatoolbox.plotting import plot_subcortical

>>> # Project the results on the surface brain
>>> plot_subcortical(array_name=SV_d, size=(800, 400),
...                  cmap='RdBu_r', color_bar=True, color_range=(-0.5, 0.5))
% Project the results on the surface brain
f = figure,
    plot_subcortical(SV_d, 'color_range', [-0.5 0.5], 'cmap', 'RdBu_r')
⤎ If you have meta-analysis data (e.g., summary statistics)
⤏ If you have individual site or mega-analysis data
>>> from enigmatoolbox.plotting import plot_subcortical

>>> # Project the results on the surface brain
>>> plot_subcortical(array_name=SV_z_mean, size=(800, 400),
>>>                  cmap='Blues_r', color_bar=True, color_range=(-3, 0))
% Project the results on the surface brain
f = figure,
    plot_subcortical(SV_z_mean{:, :}, 'color_range', [-2 1], 'cmap', 'Blues_r')
../../_images/d_sctx.png