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NIfTi Format#

Introduction to NIfTI#

The NIfTI (Neuroimaging Informatics Technology Initiative) format is a derivative of the ANALYZE format, which was originally developed for medical imaging.

Why NIfTI?#

Before NIfTI, medical imaging data was stored in a variety of formats, including ANALYZE, MINC, and DICOM [1].

  • ANALYZE
    • ANALYZE is a proprietary format developed by the Mayo Clinic.
    • ANALYZE files are not widely supported and are often difficult to work with.
  • MINC
    • MINC (Medical Image NetCDF) is a newer format developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
    • MINC files are widely supported and can be easily shared and distributed.
  • DICOM
    • DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standardized format for medical imaging data.
    • DICOM files are widely supported and can be easily shared and distributed.

General Information#

  • NIfTI files will typically be stored in a single file, with the extension .nii or .nii.gz.
  • NIfTI files are typically used for medical imaging data, such as MRI, CT, PET, and fMRI.
  • NIfTI files are widely supported and can be easily shared and distributed.

Diagrams#

NIfTI-1: https://nifti.nimh.nih.gov/nifti-1/documentation/hbm_nifti_2004.pdf

NIfTI structure diagram: https://nifti.nimh.nih.gov/nifti-1/documentation/nifti1diagrams_v2.pdf

References and Resources#

  1. Medical Image File Formats, Michele Larobina, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-013-9657-9
  2. The NIFTI file format
  3. NIfTI-2
  4. NiBabel - NIfTI images
  5. NiBabel - Coordinate Systems
  6. NIFTI plain and simple
  7. NIfTI NIH site