Standard formats for the exchange and storage of image data

Abstract

In microscopy, there is an increasing need for images to be recorded electronically and stored digitally on disk or tape. This image data can be shared by mailing these magnetic media or by electronic transmission along telephone lines (e.g. modem transfer) or special networks, such as Bitnet and Internet. In each case, the format in which the image is stored or transmitted must be known to the recipient in order to correctly recover all the information. Because there are many image formats to choose from, it would undoubtedly save misunderstanding and frustration if a group of individuals with similar interests and needs could agree upon a common format. The MSA Standards Committee has surveyed several formats which could be of particular interest to microscopists, with a view to making a recommendation to our community.Our chief concern has been compatibility with existing software, combined with an adequate representation of the data, compactness of data storage (on disk) and reasonable rate of data transfer.