Comparison reads are a common workflow for oncology follow-up, post-op imaging, and second opinions. The viewer can load multiple studies from the same patient (or different patients) into panels for side-by-side review.
Step 1: Open the primary study
Open the most recent study from the worklist in the normal way. This becomes your anchor study in the left panel.
Step 2: Add a comparison study
Open the Patient History dropdown at the top of the viewer and select a prior study. It loads into the right panel automatically. You can add up to six panels total, each with its own thumbnail strip and toolbar.
Step 3: Arrange panels
Drag panels into the layout you want. Double-click a panel to expand it to fill the active or opposite side. A double-click again returns it to its original size.
Step 4: Sync scrolling and windowing
Enable Link scrolled series to make slices move together across panels. Use Automatic for same-anatomy studies, Distance-based for differing slice thicknesses, and Manual when you want to align specific landmarks. Enable Sync Windowing to mirror W/L changes across panels.
Tips
- Comparison study dates appear on thumbnails as small numeric indicators, so you can tell at a glance which study is oldest.
- Panels preserve their own layout and hanging protocol. Applying a hanging protocol to the active panel does not change the others.
Related articles
- Hanging protocols
- Synchronizing series: Sync Windowing, Sync actions, Link scrolled series
- Working with layouts, panels and viewports