Sophisticated visualization tools are essential for the presentation and
exploration of human neuroimaging data. While two-dimensional orthogonal views
of neuroimaging data are conventionally used to display activity and
statistical analysis, three-dimensional (3D) representation is useful for
showing the spatial distribution of a functional network, as well as its
temporal evolution. For these purposes, there is currently no open-source, 3D
neuroimaging tool that can simultaneously visualize desired combinations of
MRI, CT, EEG, MEG, fMRI, PET, and intracranial EEG (i.e., ECoG, depth
electrodes, and DBS). Here we present the Multi-Modal Visualization Tool
(MMVT), which is designed for researchers to interact with their neuroimaging
functional and anatomical data through simultaneous visualization of these
existing imaging modalities. MMVT contains two separate modules: The first is
an add-on to the open-source, 3D-rendering program Blender. It is an
interactive graphical interface that enables users to simultaneously visualize
multi-modality functional and statistical data on cortical and subcortical
surfaces as well as MEEG sensors and intracranial electrodes. This tool also
enables highly accurate 3D visualization of neuroanatomy, including the
location of invasive electrodes relative to brain structures. The second module
includes complete stand-alone pre-processing pipelines, from raw data to
statistical maps. Each of the modules and module features can be integrated,
separate from the tool, into existing data pipelines. This gives the tool a
distinct advantage in both clinical and research domains as each has highly
specialized visual and processing needs. MMVT leverages open-source software to
build a comprehensive tool for data visualization and exploration.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figure