Kymograph

The Kymograph Tool displays a kymogram of a time-series stack for a given line or area selection. The tool should work with all time-series images. You can find an example image here: example image.

Getting started

To install the tool, drag the link Kymograph_Tool.txt to the ImageJ launcher window. Save it under /plugins/tools in the ImageJ installation and restart ImageJ.

Select the "Kymograph Tool" from the >> button of the ImageJ launcher. This will add a button with the label "k" to the current toolset.

the kymograph tool has been added to the current toolset

  • A right-click on the k-button will open a help dialog that allows to display this help page

Using the tool

Open a stack or hyperstack that contains a temporal component (one of the sliders below the stack will display the play button, i.e. a small triangle). Press the k-button to calculate the kymogram. If the image contains a line or area selection the kymogram is calculated for that selection. You can choose the segmented-line selection tool by right-clicking on the line-selection button.

The kymogram is calculated by using the reslice command of ImageJ (Image>Stacks>Reslice [/]). In the 3d case a maximum z-projection is applied to the result.

Results

The input image series as a film:

input time series as movie

The kymogram of the film above:

the kymogram of the input image

Publications using the tool

  1. Santos, T.E., Schaffran, B., Broguière, N., Meyn, L., Zenobi-Wong, M., and Bradke, F. (2020). Axon Growth of CNS Neurons in Three Dimensions Is Amoeboid and Independent of Adhesions. Cell Reports 32, 107907.

lysomitohetaxfunny.lsm - input image (74.6 MB) Volker Baecker, 09/20/2012 02:18 PM

kymograph_tool.png - the kymograph tool has been added to the current toolset (2.32 KB) Volker Baecker, 09/20/2012 02:28 PM

lysomitohetaxfunny.gif - input time series as movie (8.93 MB) Volker Baecker, 09/20/2012 03:07 PM

kymogram_of_lysomitohetaxfunny.png - the kymogram of the input image (56 KB) Volker Baecker, 09/20/2012 03:09 PM