DEVILS: a tool for the visualization of large datasets with a high dynamic range [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

The number of grey values that can be displayed on monitors and be processed by the human eye is smaller than the dynamic range of image-based sensors. This makes the visualization of such data a challenge, especially with specimens where small dim structures are equally important as large bright ones, or whenever variations in intensity, such as non-homogeneous staining efficiencies or light depth penetration, becomes an issue. While simple intensity display mappings are easily possible, these fail to provide a one-shot observation that can display objects of varying intensities. In order to facilitate the visualization-based analysis of large volumetric datasets, we developed an easy-to-use ImageJ plugin enabling the compressed display of features within several magnitudes of intensities. The Display Enhancement for Visual Inspection of Large Stacks plugin (DEVILS) homogenizes the intensities by using a combination of local and global pixel operations to allow for high and low intensities to be visible simultaneously to the human eye. The plugin is based on a single, intuitively understandable parameter, features a preview mode, and uses parallelization to process multiple image planes. As output, the plugin is capable of producing a BigDataViewer-compatible dataset for fast visualization. We demonstrate the utility of the plugin for large volumetric image data.