Choosing the Right Medical Data Annotation Tool: medDARE’s Experience

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October 20, 2025 | 6 min read
Over the years, our team has worked with a variety of medical data annotation tools, supporting healthcare and research clients around the world. From time to time, our clients — both current and potential — ask us to share our perspective on which tools perform best for different types of projects.
We decided to prepare this overview to help you choose the best tool for your needs, taking into account project specifics, limitations, and available resources. Below we present a comparison of three commonly used healthcare annotation platforms: 3D Slicer, RedbrickAI, and V7 Darwin.


Quick Comparison Table

Feature 3D Slicer RedbrickAI V7 Darwin
Type Free, offline, open-source Paid, online cloud platform Paid, online cloud platform
Supported Formats DICOM, NRRD, and others Variety of medical and standard image formats JPG, PNG, JSON, and more
Annotation Tools Extensive 2D/3D segmentation tools Advanced medical image labeling with workflows AI-assisted labeling and segmentation
Data Security Offline (no cloud dependency) High security with access management Cloud-based with user access control
Best For R&D and offline annotation projects Enterprise-scale medical data annotation AI-driven, cloud-based health care annotation

1. 3D Slicer

Aspect Details
Type Free, open-source, offline software
Supported Formats DICOM, NRRD, and others
Annotation Tools Wide range of 2D and 3D segmentation and labeling tools
Data Security Offline mode ensures privacy but lacks cloud-level security controls

Pros:
– Free and open-source
– Supports various medical imaging formats
– Customizable through extensions and scripting
– Extensive community support

Cons:
– Requires technical expertise to operate
– Limited team collaboration options

Best for: Research and R&D teams looking for flexible, offline medical data annotation tool solutions.


2. RedbrickAI

Aspect Details
Type Paid, online platform
Supported Formats Supports a wide variety of image and export formats
Annotation Tools Comprehensive medical image labeling features with workflow management
Data Security Full data encryption and user access management

Pros:
– User-friendly, cloud-based interface
– Flexible project management and collaboration features
– Excellent support for team-based medical data annotators
– Continuous platform updates and integrations

Cons:
– Requires stable internet connection
– Paid subscription model

Best for: Enterprises and annotation teams managing large-scale healthcare annotation projects with distributed teams.


3. V7 Darwin

Aspect Details
Type Paid, online platform
Supported Formats Wide range, including .jpg, .png, and JSON exports
Annotation Tools AI-assisted labeling, bounding boxes, and segmentation tools
Data Security Cloud-based with strong user access controls

Pros:
– Intuitive and modern interface
– AI-assisted labeling increases speed
– Good integration with machine learning workflows

Cons:
– Limited for very specialized medical data formats
– Requires strong internet connectivity

Best for: Organizations seeking efficiency, AI assistance, and cloud-based management for healthcare annotation tasks.


Final Thoughts

Choosing the right medical data annotation tool depends on your project’s goals, data types, and available infrastructure.

  • 3D Slicer – Ideal for offline research, flexible, and open-source projects.
  • RedbrickAI – Great for secure, collaborative, and large-scale medical data projects.
  • V7 Darwin – Best for teams seeking speed, automation, and AI-assisted labeling.

Each solution has its strengths, and the best choice depends on whether your priority is data privacy, scalability, or automation. We hope this comparison helps both our clients and future partners select the most suitable platform for their annotation needs.

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