The invention provides for a medical imaging system (700) comprising: a memory (734) for storing machine executable instructions (740), a display (732) for rendering a user interface (800), and a processor (730). Execution of the machine executable instructions causes the processor to receive (1000) three dimensional medical image data (746) descriptive of a region of interest (709) of a subject (718). The region of interest comprises a spine (200). Execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to receive (1002) a set of spinal coordinate systems (748) each descriptive of a location and an orientation of spinal vertebrae in the three dimensional medical image data. The set of spinal coordinate systems further comprises a set of spine centerline positions (102) each positioned on a spine centerline (108). Execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to receive (1004) a mapping (750) between the set of spinal coordinate systems and a simplified coordinate system. The simplified coordinate system comprises a spinal height (300) descriptive of a position along the spine centerline. The simplified coordinate system further comprises a rotational orientation relative to a local vertebrae orientation. The simplified coordinate system further comprises an offset from the spine centerline. Execution of the machine executable instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly receive (1006) a simplified coordinate (752) of the simplified coordinate system from the user interface. Execution of the machine executable instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly calculate (1008) a spinal image rendering (754). Calculating the spinal image rendering comprises using the mapping to transform the simplified coordinate into the set of spinal coordinate systems to determine an image location in the three dimensional medical image data. Execution of the machine executable instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly render (1010) the spinal image rendering on the display.