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At least 811 records · Page 45Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

The RUMBA software: tools for neuroimaging data analysis.

The enormous scale and complexity of data sets in functional neuroimaging makes it crucial to have well-designed and flexible software for image processing, modeling, and statistical analysis. At present, researchers must choose between general purpose scientific computing environments (e.g., Splus and Matlab), and specialized human brain mapping packages that implement particular analysis strategies (e.g., AFNI, SPM, VoxBo, FSL or FIASCO). For the vast majority of users in Human Brain Mapping and Cognitive Neuroscience, general purpose computing environments provide an insufficient framework for a complex data-analysis regime. On the other hand, the operational particulars of more specialized neuroimaging analysis packages are difficult or impossible to modify and provide little transparency or flexibility to the user for approaches other than massively multiple comparisons based on inferential statistics derived from linear models. In order to address these problems, we have developed open-source software that allows a wide array of data analysis procedures. The RUMBA software includes programming tools that simplify the development of novel methods, and accommodates data in several standard image formats. A scripting interface, along with programming libraries, defines a number of useful analytic procedures, and provides an interface to data analysis procedures. The software also supports a graphical functional programming environment for implementing data analysis streams based on modular functional components. With these features, the RUMBA software provides researchers programmability, reusability, modular analysis tools, novel data analysis streams, and an analysis environment in which multiple approaches can be contrasted and compared. The RUMBA software retains the flexibility of general scientific computing environments while adding a framework in which both experts and novices can develop and adapt neuroimaging-specific analyses.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1989

Analysis of urinary stones by computerized infrared spectroscopy.

The computerized assessment of infrared spectra of urinary stones with existing programmes such as SEARCH (Lehmann, C. A. et al. (1988) Clin. Chim. Acta 173, 107-116), TWIN or CIRCOM (Hesse, A. et al. (1988) Fresenius Z. Anal. Chem. 330, 372-373) has proved to be unreliable when used for routine urinary stone analysis. A more refined method has to be used in place of simple comparison algorithms. STONES is a new programme for computerized analysis of urinary stones developed with the intention of simulating the former non-computerized analysis procedure. STONES is a rule-based system, which interprets the infrared spectra qualitatively by its rules. A quantitative result is obtained by means of library search. Combining these two methods 93% of the tests were correct with regard to clinical relevance.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1996

New bottles, old wine: hidden cultural assumptions in a computerized explanation system for migraine sufferers.

Sophisticated computer programs known as "intelligent systems" have been developed for use in medical settings for over two decades. Such systems explicitly encode information about task domains, problem attributes, and problem-solving strategies. They also embody tacit assumptions held by those who build them, reflecting meanings taken for granted in particular cultural and disciplinary arenas. This article examines assumptions built into the design of a patient education system for migraine sufferers, drawing upon extended participant-observation of the development process. Its designers view the system as neutral, but observation reveals that it embodies a physician's point of view. While intended to support migraine patients by offering useful information not given them by physicians, the system in fact offers information characterized by the same assumptions and deletions as that provided by neurologists. Thus, although intended to empower migraine patients, this system may actually reinforce rather than reduce the power differential between doctor and patient.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2004

Comparison of microdosimetric simulations using PENELOPE and PITS for a 25 keV electron microbeam in water.

The calculations presented compared the performances of two Monte Carlo codes used for the estimation of microdosimetric quantities: Positive Ion Track Structure code (PITS) and a main user code based on the PENetration and Energy Loss of Positrons and Electrons code (PENELOPE-2000). Event-by-event track structure codes like PITS are believed to be superior for microdosimetric applications, and they are written for this purpose. PITS tracks electrons in water down to 10 eV. PENELOPE is one of the few general-purpose codes that can simulate random electron-photon showers in any material for energies from 100 eV to 1 GeV. The model used in the comparison is a water cylinder with an internal scoring geometry made of spheres 1 microm in diameter where the scoring quantities are calculated. The source is a 25 keV electron pencil beam impinging normally on the sphere surface. This work shows only the lineal energy y and spectra graphical presentation as a function of y since for microdosimetry and biology applications, and for discussion of radiation quality in general, these results are more appropriate. The computed PENELOPE results are in agreement with those obtained with the PITS code and published previously in this journal. This paper demonstrates PENELOPE's usefulness at low energies and for small geometries. What is still needed are experimental results to confirm these analyses.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

Evaluation of software for registration of contrast-enhanced brain MR images in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated commercially available software that rapidly and automatically registers brain MR images on a clinical workstation, and we studied the accuracy of these registrations. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ten patients with a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme underwent contrast-enhanced inversion recovery prepared three-dimensional (3D) volumetric spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state (SPGR) MR imaging (contiguous 1.5-mm slice thickness, 96-104 slices). After this imaging sequence, each patient was brought out of the head coil into a sitting position and then repositioned in the coil. The inversion recovery prepared 3D SPGR sequence was then repeated. A commercially available software program operating on a clinical workstation was used to automatically register the second inversion recovery prepared SPGR series to the first. The speed of registration was recorded. The accuracy of each registration was estimated by recording the coordinates of eight anatomic landmarks on the registered and reference series and by calculating the mean error among matching landmarks. RESULTS: In nine of 10 patients, the registration software produced a visually satisfactory registration. In one patient, a second registration was necessary to produce a satisfactory registration. The processing time for each iteration was 48.3 +/- 3.8 sec (mean +/- SD). The mean error in aligning matching anatomic landmarks ranged from 0.67 to 1.41 mm, with an overall mean of 1.18 mm. The largest error among matching landmarks was 2.3 mm. CONCLUSION: Commercially available registration software can automatically register 3D imaging volumes in less than 1 min. The mean error in registration was approximately equivalent to the dimensions of a single voxel.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Risk management in the design of medical device software systems.

The safety of any medical device system is dependent on the application of a disciplined, well-defined, risk management process throughout the product life cycle. Hardware, software, human, and environmental interactions must be assessed in terms of intended use, risk, and cost/benefit criteria. This article addresses these issues in the context of medical devices that incorporate software. The article explains the principles of risk management, using terminology and examples from the domain of software engineering. It may serve as a guide to those new to the concepts of risk management and as an aide-memoire for medical device system/software engineers who are more familiar with the topic.

Consumer Product Safety↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Software safety for every phase of software development.

Where does risk management belong, at the beginning of a project or at the end? Many managers choose one or the other, or both. The correct answer is that risk management needs to be considered throughout the software development life cycle. When the risks include the safety of patients or the users of the software, the methods need to be more formal. This article will explain why, and then will provide the how and the how much.

Biomedical Engineering↗
PubMed1996

A Monte-Carlo program converting activity distributions to absorbed dose distributions in a radionuclide treatment planning system.

In systemic radiation therapy, the absorbed dose distribution must be calculated from the individual activity distribution. A computer code has been developed for the conversion of an arbitrary activity distribution to a 3-D absorbed dose distribution. The activity distribution can be described either analytically or as a voxel based distribution, which comes from a SPECT acquisition. Decay points are sampled according to the activity map, and particles (photons and electrons) from the decay are followed through the tissue until they either escape the patient or drop below a cut off energy. To verify the calculated results, the mathematically defined MIRD phantom and unity density spheres have been included in the code. Also other published dosimetry data were used for verification. Absorbed fractions and S-values were calculated. A comparison with simulated data from the code with MIRD data shows good agreement. The S values are within 10-20% of published MIRD S values for most organs. Absorbed fractions for photons and electrons in spheres (masses between 1 g and 200 kg) are within 10-15% of those published. Radial absorbed dose distributions in a necrotic tumor show good agreement with published data. The application of the code in a radionuclide therapy dose planning system, based on quantitative SPECT, is discussed.

Absorption↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quality assurance of medical software.

Quality assurance is a topical issue within the software industry, and various methodological solutions aimed at improving software quality have been proposed. Medical software is generally deemed safety-critical and, as such, should be subject to control procedures exceeding those applicable to general-purpose software. The user/purchaser of medical equipment has an important part to play in the drive for higher-quality medical software, and ways in which the user can influence commercial suppliers are outlined. The implications of existing and planned legislation are also discussed.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Information systems for the community health services.

This paper is concerned with the design and implementation of an information system which fulfils some of the local needs of fourteen nursing and para-medical professions working in the community in a district health authority, whilst satisfying the statutory requirements of the NHS Körner steering group for those professions. The implementation of the computer information system was achieved through the participation of those professionals who would eventually use the system. A prototype system, which has now been extended, has been operational for some time covering the chiropody and school nursing staff groups. An evaluation of this system has shown that a significant number of the problems and objectives of those groups have been successfully addressed, the value of community health information has been increased, and information has been fed back to staff and better utilized.

Ambulatory Care Information Systems↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating medical expert systems: what to test and how?

Many believe that medical expert systems have great potential to improve health care, but few of these systems have been rigorously evaluated, and even fewer are in routine use. We propose the evaluation of medical expert systems in two stages: laboratory and field testing. In the former, the perspectives of both prospective users and experts responsible for implementation are valuable. In the latter, the study must be designed to test, in an unbiased manner, whether the system is used in clinical practice, and if it is used, how it affects the structure, process and outcome of health care encounters. We conclude with proposals for encouraging the objective evaluation of these systems.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The evaluation of decision aids: the role of the decision owner.

This paper is a discussion of the role patient preferences should play in the evaluation of medical decision aids. The use of 'practitioner acceptability' as an unproblematic criterion in the evaluation of such aids is questioned, along with the wider imbalance in resource allocation between research relevant to the 'technical' and 'value' aspects of medical decision-making.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating black-boxes as medical decision aids: issues arising from a study of neural networks.

The rigorous evaluation of medical decision aids will be critical to promoting their development, establishing their clinical value and legalizing their use. Many decision aids are transparent in the sense that their internal structure and function can be examined and verified. Some decision aids, however, use complex models of associations in training data to construct 'black-box' systems whose workings are largely impenetrable and inexplicable. The issues surrounding the evaluation of such systems, as exemplified by connectionist (neural network) models, are discussed. For such systems the two major aspects that can be evaluated are the training data from which the system is derived, and its performance on test data. A number of questions about the use of black-box systems as medical decision aids are posed which require consideration by the medical informatics community.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human-computer interface evaluation: not user-friendliness but design for operation.

This paper considers human-computer interface evaluation in the context of design and development. It is argued that it is not helpful to view evaluation as a method for achieving user-friendliness, rather it should be seen as a participating activity within design and development. The centre of concern is the operation of the system when employed in practice. Such evaluation is not necessarily to be conducted by independent observation and experiment, but may be closely integrated with other design activities. In fact the very theory underlying the evaluation finds its embodiment in the artifact of the user interface. Taking this view has technical, as well as human factors, implications.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Field trials of Baby Check: a scoring system to quantify illness in babies under 6 months.

Baby Check, a scoring system for quantifying illness in young babies, was developed from a study of 1007 well and ill babies in Cambridge and Melbourne. This paper describes the setting up of field trials to test the performance of the scoring system when used by mothers, GPs and hospital doctors. Preliminary results suggest that the scoring system is attractive, easy to use, useful and of high specificity. Its sensitivity to serious illness is also thought to be high but this will become clearer when the main hospital field trial has been completed.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗