A multicentric IT platform for storage and sharing of imaging-based radiation dosimetric data.

PURPOSE: The MEDIRAD project is about the effects of low radiation dose in the context of medical procedures. The goal of the work is to develop an informatics service that will provide the researchers of the MEDIRAD project with a platform to share acquired images, along with the associated dosimetric data pertaining to the radiation resulting from the procedure. METHODS: The authors designed a system architecture to manage image data and dosimetric data in an integrated way. DICOM and non-DICOM data are stored in separated repositories, and the link between the two is provided through a semantic database, i.e., a database whose information schema in aligned with an ontology. RESULTS: The system currently supports CT, PET, SPECT, and NM images as well as dose reports. Currently, two workflows for non-DICOM data generated from dosimetric calculations have been taken into account, one concerning Monte Carlo-based calculation of organ doses in Chest CT, and the other estimation of doses in nontarget organs in 131I targeted radionuclide therapy of the thyroid. CONCLUSION: The system is currently deployed, thus providing access to image and related dosimetric data to all MEDIRAD users. The software was designed in such a way that it can be reused to support similar needs in other projects.

A semantic database for integrated management of image and dosimetric data in low radiation dose research in medical imaging.

Medical ionizing radiation procedures and especially medical imaging are a non negligible source of exposure to patients. Whereas the biological effects of high absorbed doses are relatively well known, the effects of low absorbed doses are still debated. This work presents the development of a computer platform called Image and Radiation Dose BioBank (IRDBB) to manage research data produced in the context of the MEDIRAD project, a European project focusing on research on low doses in the context of medical procedures. More precisely, the paper describes a semantic database linking dosimetric data (such as absorbed doses to organs) to the images corresponding to X-rays exposure (such as CT images) or scintigraphic images (such as SPECT or PET images) that allow measuring the distribution of a radiopharmaceutical. The main contributions of this work are: 1) the implementation of the semantic database of the IRDBB system and 2) an ontology called OntoMEDIRAD covering the domain of discourse involved in MEDIRAD research data, especially many concepts from the DICOM standard modelled according to a realist approach.