Contour selection

Choosing a contour name from the list

In the Trace ribbon, Contours section, choose a contour name before you begin drawing a contour, using one of the following equivalent methods:

  • Choose a name from the Contour name drop-down menu

    Click to show the drop down menu, then click on the name for the contour you want to draw.

  • Click the Contour selection button

    and click to display the Contour Selection panel that includes a list of available contour names (typically anatomical names that you will use for your annotations).

    Select the name for the contour you want to draw from the Contour Selection panel by clicking it.

Customizing the list of contour names available

If you are affiliated with the SPARC program :

  • Neurolucida 360 software uses your input in the Welcome dialog displayed when you open a file to retrieve the appropriate anatomical terminology list (or parcellation list) from the SciCrunch database.

  • To access a different list of anatomic terms during the session, click the SPARC VOCABULARY SERVICES button in the TRACE ribbon to display the Welcome dialog and choose from the dropdown menus. (Learn more.)

  • To add a term to the list, click the Request new term button in the Contour Selection panel then follow the prompts on the SciCrunch website. You will need an internet connection.

If you have used your own lists for previous studies, please contact the MBF Bioscience SPARC team to discuss the transition from your list to the FAIR-compliant list.

If you are not affiliated with the SPARC program:

  1. Prepare your list outside of Neurolucida 360 and save it in .csv or .txt format, with one vocabulary term per row/line in your file.

  2. Open the Contour Selection panel by clicking the Contour selection button.

  3. To load your list, click the Load in contours button in the Contour Selection panel.

  4. In the Contour List Upload window that opens, choose the .csv or .txt file with your desired contour names and check the box to Replace all existing contours in Neurolucida 360 software with those in your file or uncheck the box add to them.

    Then click OK and your contour names will be available in the Contour Selection window.

Researchers involved with the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program (supported by the NIH Common Fund), use curated anatomical terminology databases for comprehensive, FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) anatomical mapping specific for organs and species of interest. If you are interested accessing the FAIR-compliant lists in use by SPARC researchers in your own research, please contact the MBF Bioscience SPARC team to discuss.