[3] 3D Slicer is a free open source software (BSD-style license) that is a flexible, modular platform for image analysis and visualization.

3D Slicer is extended to enable development of both interactive and batch processing tools for a variety of applications.

[citation needed] 3D Slicer also supports a rich set of annotation features (fiducials and measurement widgets, customized color maps).

[8] Slicer software has enabled a variety of research publications, all aimed at improving image analysis.

[9] This significant software project has been enabled by the participation of several large-scale NIH funded efforts, including the NA-MIC, NAC, BIRN, CIMIT, Harvard Catalyst and NCIGT communities.

Standard image file formats are supported, and the application integrates interface capabilities to biomedical research software.

In image-guided therapy research, Slicer is frequently used to construct and visualize collections of MRI data that are available pre- and intra-operatively to allow for the acquiring of spatial coordinates for instrument tracking.

Command-line programs in any language may be wrapped using a light-weight XML specification, from which a graphical interface is automatically generated.

The core development cycle incorporates automatic testing, as well as incremental and nightly builds on all platforms, monitored using an online dashboard.