The Automated Image Registration (AIR) package is primarily designed to solve several different registration problems that arise in tomographic data sets:
Intrasubject registration of brain images uses a rigid-body model. Intermodality registration has been validated for some (MRI-PET), but not all modalities. Intersubject registration can be performed using any of a variety of linear or nonlinear models to register different subjects to one another or to an atlas template (for example, an averaged brain in "Talairach space"). These models may also be useful for intrasubject registration of organs that are more deformable than brain or for tracking intrasubject developmental changes over time.
In addition to 3D models, AIR includes homologous 2D deformation models that may be useful in selected circumstances (e.g., single slice fMRI data, pure 2D images, etc.).
Once the registration parameters are known, the AIR package allows the data to be resampled to generate a final image using any of the following interpolation models:
The AIR package includes automated routines for aligning and reslicing tomographic image data. In addition, a number of utility routines and error checking routines are provided. The routines are invoked as standard UNIX commands and (with one exception) neither expect nor allow user interaction once the command has been issued. In addition, a series of C subroutines which comprise the AIR library are provided. The AIR library can be used to easily incorporate automated image registration into site specific programs adapted to your particular needs.
AIR also includes graphical user interfaces for two of the most frequently used programs. These interfaces are written in Tcl/Tk.
The AIR package is distributed only as source code.
The AIR package does not provide any graphics or image display capabilities. No file format converters are provided.
The default image file format is compatible with the ANALYZE format developed at the Mayo Clinic. If you currently use 8 bits/pixel or 16 bits/pixel ANALYZE file format on a computer equipped with an ANSI C compiler, have at least 16 Mbytes of RAM, and are familiar with the UNIX operating system, you should be able to install and use the AIR package without additional assistance, even if you know nothing about C programming. However, if any of these conditions is not met, it is likely that you will need the assistance of a C programmer who is familiar with your operating system and C compiler.
Tcl/Tk is required to use the graphical user interface (GUI), but all of the functionality of the AIR package can be accessed without the GUI.
The information provided here is intended to supplement the information provided in the original publications describing the automated registration methods.
Modified: December 24, 2001