Compare figure panel IDs with the manuscript legend

A revised research figure can acquire a panel C while the manuscript legend still describes only A and B. Check the labels against each other before you export the submission package.

Here is a synthetic example. The exported figure shows A, B, and C. The legend lists A and B. A set comparison flags C for review.

figure_panels = {"A", "B", "C"}
legend_panels = {"A", "B"}

print("Figure panels without legend entries:", sorted(figure_panels - legend_panels))
print("Legend entries without figure panels:", sorted(legend_panels - figure_panels))

The first line prints ['C']. The second prints []. Ask the figure owner what C shows, then verify its description and the Methods reference before updating the legend.

This check assumes you transcribed the panel IDs from the final export and legend. Review duplicates, order, and content directly in the manuscript. Two labels can match even when the legend describes the wrong panel.

Teaching example from the RigorMed team.