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Glossary

Computers

The documentation refers to computers by their functional role:

  • Scanner computer: The computer where reconstructed images from the scanner appear. In the case of GE scanners, for instance, new slice dicom files appear in a directory on the scanner console. Siemens scanners, on the other hand, may export new images to a directory on a shared network drive. The scanner computer is simply the computer that has local access to the directory where new images appear

  • Analysis computer: The computer that will be running Pyneal. This is the computer on which users will setup their analysis, launch Pyneal, and monitor on-going scans.

Note that in some cases, the same physical computer can play both functional roles. For instance, when working in a Siemens environment, new images from the scanner might be exported to a shared directory that is accessible on the analysis computer. In this case, the same machine could be playing the role of both the scanner computer and the analysis computer.

  • End User: Generic term for any computer/process that is making a request to Pyneal for results during a scan. For instance, a task presentation computer that is requesting specific feedback values to present to the participant.

Additional terms used

  • Series: A complete scan representing either a single 3D anatomical image, or a 4D functional image.

  • Session: A collection of series collected within the same experimental session. A session would typically represent all of the scans collected after the subject is placed in the scanner (e.g. Anatomical, functional series1, functional series2, etc...)