Introduction to the Mac for Physicians

OsiriX and Horos Course · Introduction and Basics

In this lesson we give an introduction to the Mac (macOS) aimed at those who will use the computer in medical practice, especially with OsiriX and DICOM medical image analysis. If you are migrating from Windows to the Mac, here are the tips that avoid the most common confusions and greatly speed up your work. 1) Windows, Linux and Mac: a quick overview Windows: the most popular; it has to run on thousands of different hardware configurations (drivers), which can increase incompatibilities. Linux: widely used on servers and “appliances” (e.g., routers); there are dedicated PACS solutions (e.g., Conquest / dcm4chee). Mac: hardware and software made by the same company → better integration and, in general, fewer crashes when using imaging applications. I also mention that there are many DICOM viewers (not just OsiriX), and cite the site idoimaging.com as a list of viewers by operating system. 2) Mac keyboard: equivalents and important shortcuts Ctrl (Windows) ↔ Command (Mac) Alt (Windows) ↔ Option (Mac) On the Mac, the Delete key works like Backspace on Windows For “Delete” as on Windows: Function + Delete In OsiriX, these keys speed things up a lot: Shift + mouse: zoom Option + mouse: brightness/contrast Command + mouse: pan the image Ctrl: extra information 3) Windows-style accents on the Mac The Mac's default method uses combinations with Option (e.g., Option+E, Option+C, etc.). If you want to type as on Windows: Go to System Preferences → Language & Text / Keyboard → Input Sources Select US International PC (This is the option that sets accents to the pattern most people are used to on Windows.) 4) Screenshots to document measurements/planning Command + Shift + 3: captures the entire screen Command + Shift + 4: captures a selected area Command + Shift + 4 + space bar: captures a window Useful for saving images with OsiriX measurements to print or share. 5) Closing apps on the Mac (a classic mistake for those coming from Windows) Clicking the red X only closes the window; the program may remain open. To really close it: Command + Q (Quit) Many open apps can slow down the Mac due to memory consumption. 6) Finder, organization and quick preview Finder = the Windows “Explorer” The space bar opens a quick preview of the file (image, PDF, video, etc.) without opening the app Color tags help with organization (and you can name them in the preferences) Command + I shows file information (size, details) 7) Spotlight: one of the most useful tools Access: Magnifying glass in the top right corner or Command + space bar It is used to: open programs quickly (e.g., type “OsiriX”) do calculations (e.g., 20% oversize → 4*1.2) find files by name or by content (including e-mails, contacts, etc.) 8) How to install OsiriX Two methods mentioned: Website: osirix-viewer.com → Downloads → download and install App Store: updates automatically, but does not allow plugins (legal restriction) In the installer, just follow the package and complete the installation. 9) Screen sharing / communication Options discussed: Messages/iChat: screen sharing and webcam (video conferencing) Skype: screen sharing (no remote control) TeamViewer, LogMeIn, CrossLoop, YouGoo: alternatives for sharing and/or controlling remotely (some paid, some free to use)