chalk tip #30: Aperio image file types

I'd like to share a table of all the image file types supported by Aperio software.

When scanning or creating images, you specify a type code.  The type code determines the file format and the compression type.

SVS, TIFF, JP2, and JFIF are file formats.  (SVS are TIFF files.)
JPEG, JPEG2000, and LZW are compression types.

Some file formats only support one compression type.  JP2 files always use JPEG2000 compression, and JFIF files always use JPEG compression.  (For this reason, JP2 files are sometimes called “JPEG2000 files”, and JFIF files are often called “JPEG files”.)  The SVS/TIFF file format supports multiple compression types, including JPEG, JPEG2000, and LZW, as well as “none” (no compression).

Here’s the full range of type codes supported by Aperio’s software:

(click to download this table as a PDF)

The most common types are type 2, which is JPEG compression in a TIFF/SVS file, and type 3, which is JPEG2000 compression in a TIFF/SVS file.

PS don’t ask what happened to type 6.  Just … don’t.