# 3D slicer doesn't show masks on a NIfTI file

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/3d-slicer-doesnt-show-masks-on-a-nifti-file/22252>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [March 1, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/3d-slicer-doesnt-show-masks-on-a-nifti-file/22252 "2022-03-01T22:20:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kamyar\_Ghabili](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/kamyar_ghabili/32/14523_2.png) [@Kamyar\_Ghabili](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Kamyar_Ghabili)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/3d-slicer-doesnt-show-masks-on-a-nifti-file/22252/1 "2022-03-01T22:20:30Z")

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Hi. I want to see masked images as NIftI format using 3D slicer. I use “Add Data” option and upload the file. I can see the images on 3D slicer but not the masks (segmentations). Do you have any idea how to fix this? Thank you.

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/3d-slicer-doesnt-show-masks-on-a-nifti-file/22252/2 "2022-03-01T22:37:50Z")

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When you load a nifti file by default it is assumed that it is a scalar volume. Since scalar values are continuous, value of 1 will look almost the same as the background value of 0.

To load a “mask” (it is called a segmentation or labelmap volume in Slicer) you need to indicate this in the “Add data” window as described [here](https://slicer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user_guide/modules/segmentations.html#import-an-existing-segmentation-from-volume-file).