Amira Software is a 3D visualisation and image analysis platform from Thermo Fisher Scientific for life-science and biomedical research. It is built for researchers who need to segment, measure and present CT, micro-CT, CBCT, MRI and microscopy data. In dentistry that means university labs studying teeth, bone and biomaterials, not day-to-day clinical imaging.
Anyone searching for an Amira software download should know it is shareware (conditionally free): a commercial product with a trial version on request and a free viewer for published projects. Thermo Fisher labels it “For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.”
Amira Software at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Latest version | Amira-Avizo Software 2025.1.2 (22 June 2026), a maintenance release of 2025.1 |
| Licence | Shareware (conditionally free): paid licences, a trial on request, and the free ToGo Viewer for shared projects |
| Platforms | Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) and Linux (Ubuntu 20.04; limited support on 22.04). macOS is no longer supported. |
| Developer | Thermo Fisher Scientific (originally developed at the Zuse Institute Berlin) |
| Official website | thermofisher.com |
| Best for | Dental and craniofacial research: micro-CT of teeth, bone studies, multi-modal registration and publication-quality 3D figures |
What it does
- Handles 2D to 5D image data from CT, micro-CT, CBCT, MRI, optical and electron microscopy. One package adds readers for more than 140 life-science file formats.
- Segmentation workroom with manual, semi-automated and fully automated tools, including bone-specific workflows for cortical and trabecular regions.
- AI tools: deep-learning model training, 2.5D models for 3D data and AI-assisted selection for faster annotation. Version 2025.1 cut training time with a new augmentation routine.
- Registration and fusion of datasets from different modalities or time points, so before-and-after scans can be compared in the same coordinate system.
- Quantification of size, shape, intensity and spatial distribution, with results in tables and charts.
- Surface generation from segmented labels, which the vendor promotes for 3D printing of life-size anatomical models.
- Extensions for special tasks, such as digital volume correlation for strain maps, filament tracing, very large volumes, and XPand for writing your own modules in C++.
- Presentation tools: high-quality 3D rendering with realistic lighting, animations, a reporting workroom added in 2025.1, and ToGo files that colleagues open in the free viewer.
How dental teams use it
Compare root canals before and after instrumentation
- Load the pre- and post-instrumentation micro-CT scans of the same extracted tooth.
- Register the two volumes so that they overlap exactly.
- Segment the canal in both scans and measure the change in volume, surface and centring.
This is a standard endodontic research design. For example, a 2025 study in the journal Materials analysed micro-CT images of teeth with Amira v. 2023.2 to evaluate canal configuration and canal-centring ratios after rotary instrumentation.
Segment a jaw or tooth and print a teaching model
- Import the DICOM series from a research CBCT or micro-CT scan.
- Label bone, teeth and other structures in the segmentation workroom, slice by slice or with an AI model.
- Generate a surface from the labels and export it for 3D printing.
Use this for teaching and research material only. The software is not sold for diagnosis or treatment planning.
Quantify bone around implants and grafts
In animal and specimen studies, researchers segment cortical and trabecular bone on micro-CT volumes and quantify each region. With the digital volume correlation extension, loaded and unloaded scans can be turned into internal displacement and strain maps.
Install and first run
- Getting the software: request a trial on the Amira pages of thermofisher.com. Installers for licensed and trial users are on Thermo Fisher’s software resources portal and require a sign-in.
- One installer for two products: Amira (life sciences) and Avizo (materials science) ship as a single “Amira-Avizo Software” installer; the licence decides which product and extensions are active.
- Windows: Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Administrator rights are needed for installation.
- Linux: Ubuntu 20.04 on Intel64/AMD64 is the supported distribution; Ubuntu 22.04 works with limited support.
- Hardware: at least 16 GB of RAM (plan for about four times your largest data file), 16 GB of disk space and an NVIDIA graphics card with OpenGL 4.6. Integrated graphics are not recommended.
- Deep learning: needs an NVIDIA GPU with CUDA Compute Capability 7.5 or higher and a CPU with AVX2. Older cards such as the GeForce GTX 10 series are no longer compatible with the AI modules.
- Activation: licences are activated following the instructions sent by email. Floating licences use a FlexNet licence server.
Limitations
- Research use only: it is not a diagnostic viewer, has no patient database and no dental tools such as panoramic reconstruction or implant libraries.
- It is a paid product. There is no free edition apart from the viewer, and many capabilities are sold as separate extensions or packages.
- No macOS version: the last release for Mac was 2020.3.
- Hardware requirements are high, and the AI features effectively require a recent NVIDIA GPU.
- The learning curve is steep compared with simple DICOM viewers; plan time for the official tutorials.
Amira Software vs alternatives
| Tool | Best at | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Amira Software | Multi-modal research analysis, registration and presentation, with specialised extensions | Shareware; research use only |
| Dragonfly 3D World | Deep-learning segmentation of micro-CT volumes | Shareware; free academic licence |
| ImageJ / Fiji | Free measurements on images and stacks, large plugin library | Free, open source |
| medInria | Free research viewer with registration and segmentation tools | Free; research use |
FAQ
Is Amira software free?
No. Amira is a commercial product; you can request a trial version, and the ToGo Viewer for opening shared projects is free and needs no licence.
Where can I get the Amira software download?
Request a trial through the form on the Amira pages of thermofisher.com. Licensed users download installers from Thermo Fisher’s software resources portal after signing in.
How much does Amira software cost?
Thermo Fisher does not publish prices, and we do not quote them. The cost depends on the package and extensions; ask the vendor for a quote and about academic terms.
What are the Amira software system requirements?
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) or Ubuntu 20.04, at least 16 GB of RAM, 16 GB of disk space and an NVIDIA GPU with OpenGL 4.6. Deep learning needs a recent NVIDIA card and a CPU with AVX2.
What is the difference between Amira and Avizo?
They share the same core and installer. Amira is packaged for life-science and biomedical data; Avizo is packaged for materials science and industrial inspection.
Does Amira run on Mac?
Not any more. Thermo Fisher lists macOS as no longer supported, with 2020.3 as the last version for Mac.
Is there an Amira software tutorial or manual?
Yes. Thermo Fisher offers how-to articles, an Xtra library of add-on recipes, training courses and on-demand webinars.
Last checked against official sources: 2 October 2026 (developer website: thermofisher.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.
