MPR reconstructs a volumetric series (thin-slice CT, isotropic MR) into axial, coronal, and sagittal planes, plus oblique planes on demand. MPR is the foundation of 3D reading; most advanced tools (MIP, MinIP, 3D rendering) build on it.
Step 1: Load a suitable series
MPR needs an isotropic or near-isotropic thin-slice volumetric series. CT slice thickness under 1.5mm and MR 3D sequences work well. Thick-slice (5mm+) scans produce blocky reconstructions.
Step 2: Enter MPR mode
Click MPR in the toolbar, or drag the series into an MPR layout. The viewer opens an Orthogonal view with axial, coronal and sagittal panes, linked by a crosshair.
Step 3: Reorient
Drag the crosshair in any pane to reposition the other two. For an oblique plane, click Oblique MIST or Oblique and rotate one pane to the desired angle; the others update live.
Step 4: Use 2D tools inside MPR
Windowing, pan, zoom, measurements, scroll, and crosshair all work inside MPR. Flip and rotate are not available in MPR 2D; use the oblique plane to achieve the same effect.
Step 5: Cine through MPR slices
Click Cine in the toolbar while in MPR mode to sweep through the reconstructed stack. Set the slice range for a focused sweep (for example, C1-T1 for cervical spine).
Tips
- If MPR looks grainy, check slice thickness. A 3mm helical CT reconstructed in coronal will show every slice edge; request thin-slice reconstructions from the modality.
- MPR rendering is client-side. On older laptops, close unused tabs before starting a full-volume MPR session.
Related articles
- 3D volume rendering
- Fusion imaging (PET/CT and multimodal)
- Reference lines and Crosshair