Visualization and co-registration of correlative microscopy data with the ImageJ plug-in Correlia

Abstract

Correlative microscopy experiments require the co-registration of the image data acquired by different micro-analytical techniques. Major challenges are the potentially very different fields-of-view and resolutions as well as the multi-modality of the data. To provide microscopists with an easy-to-use software for two-dimensional image co-registration we have developed Correlia, an open source software based on ImageJ^a/Fiji,^b which is fully tailored for the registration of multi-modal microscopy data. It can handle data-sets of in principle arbitrary extent and uses classical approaches, i.e., rigid registration tools or B-spline based deformation models for the correction of both, global and local misalignments, such that a fast registration output is provided. Here we describe some of the basics of Correlia focusing on its application: firstly, registration workflows are outlined on artificial data. In the second part these recipes are applied to register correlative data acquired on an algal biofilm and a soil sample.

Keywords: Correlative microscopy; Correlia; Deformable registration; Image registration; ImageJ/Fiji; Open source.