Geographically distributed complementary content-based image retrieval systems for biomedical image informatics.
There is a significant increase in the use of medical images in clinical medicine, disease research, and education. While the literature lists several successful systems for content-based image retrieval and image management methods, they have been unable to make significant inroads in routine medical informatics. This can be attributed to the following: (i) the challenging nature of medical images, (ii) need for specialized methods specific to each image type and detail, (iii) lack of advances in image indexing methods, and (iv) lack of a uniform data and resource exchange framework between complementary systems. Most systems tend to focus on varying degrees of the first two items, making them very versatile in a small sampling of the variety of medical images but unable to share their strengths. This paper proposes to overcome these shortcomings by defining a data and resource exchange framework using open standards and software to develop geographically distributed toolkits. As proof-of-concept, we describe the coupling of two complementary geographically separated systems: the IRMA system at Aachen University of Technology in Germany, and the SPIRS system at the U. S. National Library of Medicine in the United States of America.
Antani
Sameer K
SK
National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. santani@mail.nih.gov
Deserno
Thomas M
TM
Long
L Rodney
LR
Thoma
George R
GR
D022126:Access to Information; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003199:Computer Systems; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D020407:Internet; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012984:Software; D014481:United States