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File-opening guide

How to open .inv and .apj scan files on iPhone, iPad or Mac

InVivo .inv and .apj files are proprietary case or project files that Ossidex does not open as editable cases. Ask the clinic to export the complete image volume as DICOM; changing the extension to .dcm does not convert it.

By the Ossidex team · How we write and check these pages · Updated

Download on the App StoreFree to download · iPhone & iPad · iOS 17+

What each InVivo file actually contains

What you haveWhat it means
.invA proprietary file containing scan and workup data. Keep it for reopening the case in InVivo.
.apjWorkup data referencing separate source files. An APJ alone is not the scan; the source files must remain available to InVivo.
DICOM file or multi-file DICOM setThe image export for independent viewers. Editable nerve traces, implants and other project objects are not recreated by importing those images.

How to open the images

  1. Preserve the original case. Keep the INV or APJ and any accompanying source files together. Do not overwrite the project while asking for an image export.
  2. Ask the sender to export DICOM. Use this request: “Please send the complete reconstructed image volume as standard DICOM, including every slice, in a folder or ZIP. Please keep the InVivo project separately.”
  3. Check the returned package. A multi-file export may include DICOMDIR. A Gallery picture or PDF report alone is not the volume.
  4. Import the folder on iPhone or iPad. In Ossidex, tap +, then Folder. Select the copied folder containing the images, not just the launcher or index. If you received a ZIP, choose Files / ZIP instead. These are the English app labels.

What to check if it still does not open

Osteoid documents DICOM and proprietary InVivo files separately. A recipient viewer may not expose the same export options as the clinic’s full installation; ask the clinic to perform the export if the option is absent.

This guide documents the handoff, not a newly tested InVivo import. On Mac, open the returned DICOM folder or ZIP in the browser viewer. Plans and annotations should also be shared in a format the recipient’s planning software accepts.

Viewer options and format limits

On a Mac, open the browser viewer and choose Open folder for the complete DICOM folder or Open files for a ZIP. Browser format and memory limits differ from the iPhone/iPad app; a successful import does not establish that the examination is complete.

See the matching format or export guide and tested samples and compatibility limits. Ossidex is a viewer and planning aid, not a diagnostic device.

Frequently asked questions

Can an APJ recover a missing scan?

No. It references source data and is not a substitute for the image volume. Ask the sender for the missing source files or DICOM export.

Will renaming INV to ZIP help?

No. A filename change is not a file-format conversion. Use an export from software that understands the original case.

Sources

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