Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Horos VS 3D Slicer

Compare Horos VS 3D Slicer and see what are their differences

Horos logo Horos

A free, open source 64-bit DICOM medical image viewer

3D Slicer logo 3D Slicer

Slicer is a community platform created for the purpose of subject specific image analysis and...
  • Horos Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-26
  • 3D Slicer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-26

Horos features and specs

  • Open Source
    Horos is free and open-source, allowing users to access and modify the source code for customization and integration with other systems.
  • Cross-Platform
    It is designed to work on macOS, providing a native experience for Mac users, and integrates well with the Apple ecosystem.
  • DICOM Support
    Horos supports DICOM imaging format, making it suitable for viewing and analyzing medical images from various imaging devices.
  • Extensive Features
    The software offers a wide range of features, such as 3D reconstructions, image segmentation, and measurement tools, which are essential for medical diagnostics.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, Horos has a community of users and developers who contribute to its development, providing support and regular updates.

Possible disadvantages of Horos

  • MacOS Limitation
    Horos is specifically designed for macOS, limiting its usability for users who work on Windows or Linux operating systems.
  • Learning Curve
    Users who are not familiar with DICOM or medical imaging software might find it challenging to learn initially due to its comprehensive features.
  • Limited Professional Support
    As an open-source project, it may not offer the same level of professional support or reliability as some commercial medical imaging solutions.
  • Performance Concerns
    Depending on the system specifications and the complexity of the images being processed, some users may experience performance issues or slower image processing speeds.
  • Dependency on Community Updates
    The software largely depends on community contributions for updates and bug fixes, which may not be as frequent or regular as those from a commercial entity.

3D Slicer features and specs

  • Open Source
    3D Slicer is open-source software, meaning it's free to use, modify, and distribute, promoting collaboration and sharing within the community.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility and accessibility to users across different operating systems.
  • Extensive Plugin Support
    3D Slicer supports a wide array of plugins and extensions, allowing users to customize and enhance its functionality to fit specific needs.
  • Advanced Visualization
    The software offers comprehensive tools for 3D visualization, making it suitable for detailed imaging tasks in medical and research fields.
  • Robust Community
    3D Slicer has an active community of users and developers who contribute to its improvement and provide support, fostering an environment for knowledge exchange.

Possible disadvantages of 3D Slicer

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Given its advanced functionalities, new users may find it challenging to learn and effectively use 3D Slicer without substantial time investment.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there are resources available, some users might find the documentation insufficient in covering all aspects or updates of the software.
  • Performance Issues
    On less powerful hardware, users might experience lag or slow performance, particularly when working with large datasets or rendering complex scenes.
  • Complex User Interface
    The interface can be overwhelming for beginners due to the multitude of options and settings available, which may complicate initial use.
  • Occasional Bugs
    As with many open-source projects, users might encounter bugs or glitches, especially in newer features or extensions, requiring troubleshooting.

Horos videos

Volux - Tutorial Horos Viewer

More videos:

  • Review - Horos Meetup #1 - 03.06.15
  • Review - Horos AM - Tesis de inversión de Keck Seng Investments. Actualización septiembre 2019

3D Slicer videos

3D Slicer Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Horos and 3D Slicer)
Graphic Design Software
57 57%
43% 43
Digital Drawing And Painting
Image Editing
60 60%
40% 40
Other Bio Tech
54 54%
46% 46

User comments

Share your experience with using Horos and 3D Slicer. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Horos should be more popular than 3D Slicer. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Horos mentions (6)

  • Top 5 DICOM Viewers
    2. Horos - platforms: MacOS, top 1 if you use macOS. The same user-friendly interface and very rich toolset (multiplanar reconstruction, maximum intensity projections, volume rendering. It also has tools for manipulating images and making measurements). The Horos project is named after Horus, a deity in ancient Egyptian mythology, son of Isis and Osiris (which is a reference to the name OsiriX, on which Horos is... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Lots of comments (here/elsewhere) mentioning CCW. Just had a new ceph taken. CBCT scan indicated narrow airway (<5 mm). Any casual thoughts before surgical consult next week?
    Seems a little small for a CBCT... Yeah I would ask for the raw DICOM files. Should be able to open that on Mac using Horos. https://horosproject.org/. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Help! Accessing files on UDF Volume for medical results
    I had an MRI done a couple of years ago, and I found some free software that works very well: Https://horosproject.org/. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Reading MRI CD help
    I was right the 1st CD they gave me DID only have 3 images on it. Confirmed after my wife drove the 1hr+ roundtrip and the new one showed masses of images. I used this for free https://horosproject.org Prob will donate now that I know it works and I actually used it. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Orthopaedic X ray and CT Viewer?
    If you are on a Mac, Horos is good: https://horosproject.org/. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

3D Slicer mentions (2)

  • I wanted to join the “I printed my brain” club
    Fun fact: DICOM is a standard medical format and there are a number of free or open source tools (this one's my favorite) that allow you to import virtually any MRI or CT scan data and produce a 3D .STL file from the data. Source: about 2 years ago
  • 3D printed anatomy from a CT scan. Have been doing this for a while now for my patients.with pectus excavatum (sunken chest). Thought I'd also share this here. Tips are welcome!
    Thank you! For those interested, software can be found here. Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Horos and 3D Slicer, you can also consider the following products

MicroDicom - DICOM viewer. MicroDicom is a free DICOM viewer. Export to the most common picture formats, movie, clipboard. It is equipped with most common tools for manipulation of DICOM images.

Weasis - Weasis is a multipurpose standalone and web-based DICOM viewer.

RadiAnt DICOM Viewer - PACS-DICOM Viewer. RadiAnt is a PACS-DICOM viewer for medical images designed to provide you with a unique experience.

AMIDE - AMIDE: a Medical Image Data Analysis Tool

Materialise Mimics - Materialise Mimics is software specially developed by Materialise for medical image processing.

Vesalius3D - Vesalius3D is a toolkit for visualization of patient specific anatomy