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Biomedical subjects

F Pinciroli

Publications and source records attributed to F Pinciroli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Symbolic representation of anatomical knowledge: concept classification and development strategies.

In this paper a novel approach to anatomy knowledge representation is described. The focus of the present research has been on the development of a representational framework where the conceptual level has been implemented by using hierarchical and nonhierarchical conceptual networks. This has allowed handling the demand for multiple views of anatomy (systemic and topographical views). The terminological level of the knowledge representation has been implemented by using a compositional strategy which has avoided the explicit storage of the terms used to express composite concepts. Hierarchical relations and composite concept representations have required supervision of both the inheritance and concept reconstruction. For this purpose heuristic knowledge has been stored in terms of consistency rules in the knowledge base. As proof of the capability of this system, we show how the knowledge base has been used to provide symbolic access to spatial information consisting of a reduced set of images from the Visible Human Dataset.

Anatomy, Cross-Sectional↗
PubMed2001

Web architecture for the remote browsing and analysis of distributed medical images and data.

To provide easy retrieval, integration and evaluation of multimodal medical images and data in a web browser environment, distributed application technologies and Java programming were used to develop a client-server architecture based on software agents. The server side manages secure connections and queries to heterogeneous remote databases and file systems containing patient personal and clinical data. The client side is a Java applet running in a web browser and providing a friendly medical user interface to perform queries on patient and medical test data and integrate and visualize properly the various query results. A set of tools based on Java Advanced Imaging API enables to process and analyze the retrieved bioimages, and quantify their features in different regions of interest. The platform-independence Java technology makes the developed prototype easy to be managed in a centralized form and provided in each site where an intranet or internet connection can be located. Giving the healthcare providers effective tools for browsing, querying, visualizing and evaluating comprehensively medical images and records in all locations where they can need them - e.g. emergency, operating theaters, ward, or even outpatient clinics- the implemented prototype represents an important aid in providing more efficient diagnoses and medical treatments.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
PubMed2000

Security concept in 'MyAngelWeb((R))' a website for the individual patient at risk of emergency.

We describe the Security Plan for the 'MyAngelWeb' service. The different actors involved in the service are subject to different security procedures. The core of the security system is implemented at the host site by means of a DBMS and standard Information Technology tools. Hardware requirements for sustainable security are needed at the web-site construction sites. They are not needed at the emergency physician's site. At the emergency physician's site, a two-way authentication system (password and test phrase method) is implemented.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

TANCLICO: tools for the analysis of inter-departmental clinical communications.

Patient care management provided by healthcare organizations is complex, involving many different care providers. The information exchange between providers concerns a varying and considerable number of actors and a high transmission load. Based on models, used to characterize specific features of work processes, we propose a new method able to analyze and represent clinical communications inside hospitals. Software has been developed, providing tools for storing and retrieving information resulting from clinical communications. The method, together with data collected in actual situations, may constitute useful tools for health information systems developers.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed2000

The "MICTRID" concept in the educational offer for medical informatics and telemedicine at the Politecnico di Milano.

Research and training programs in Medical Informatics and Telemedicine offered at the Politecnico di Milano are summarized. The educational pathways refer to the programs of the 5-years based Laurea Degree, the 3-years based Diploma Universitario Degree, of the post-Laurea 3-years-based Doctoral Degree and of the 1-year based Master Degree, as well as of the Continuing Education Program. The Research programs focus on databases and extend to the optimisation of the "Visible Human Dataset--Milano Mirror Site" services. Additional activities relate to standardization at both Italian and European levels and to cooperations with hospitals and manufacturers.

Curriculum↗
PubMed2000

Remote access to anatomical information: an integration between semantic knowledge and visual data.

A novel internet-based application is presented which provides access to anatomy knowledge through symbolic modality expressed by keywords taken from controlled or non-controlled terminology. The system is based on a database where anatomical concepts have been organized into a hierarchical framework. Along with term queries that allow retrieving concepts containing or exactly matching the used keyword, the system also provides semantic access to anatomical information. Queries can be setup, which retrieve concepts relying to a particular meaning and sharing a particular relationship. Moreover, the application has the capability to refine the search of the terms by querying the UMLS knowledge server. Anatomical image data have been integrated by using Visible Human Dataset. A set of these images has been indexed according to our anatomical classification and is used inside the application. The system has been implemented through Java client-server technology and works within standard Internet browsers.

Anatomy↗
PubMed2000

Security concept in 'MyAngelWeb' a website for the individual patient at risk of emergency.

We describe the Security Plan for the 'MyAngelWeb' service. The different actors involved in the service are subject to different security procedures. The core of the security system is implemented at the host site by means of a DBMS and standard Information Technology tools. Hardware requirements for sustainable security are needed at the web-site construction sites. They are not needed at the emergency physician's site. At the emergency physician's site, a two-way authentication system (password and test phrase method) is implemented.

Computer Security↗
PubMed1998

WWW-based access to object-oriented clinical databases: the KHOSPAD project.

KHOSPAD is a project aiming at improving the quality of the process of patient care concerning general practitioner-patient-hospital relationships, using current information and networking technologies. The studied application field is a cardiology division, with hemodynamic laboratory and the population of PTCA patients. Data related to PTCA patients are managed by ARCADIA, an object-oriented database management system developed for the considered clinical setting. We defined a remotely accessible view of ARCADIA medical record, suitable for general practitioners (GPs) caring patients after PTCA, during the follow-up period. Using a PC, a modem and Internet, an authorized GP can consult remotely the medical records of his PTCA patients. Main features of the application are related to the management and display of complex data, specifically characterized by multimedia and temporal features, based on an object-oriented temporal data model.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1997

Electronic communication with patients. Evaluation of distance medicine technology.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate controlled evidence on the efficacy of distance medicine technologies in clinical practice and health care outcome. DATA SOURCES: Systematic electronic database and manual searches (1966-1996) were conducted to identify clinical trial reports on distance medicine applications. STUDY SELECTION: Three eligibility criteria were applied: prospective, contemporaneously controlled clinical trial with random assignment of the intervention; electronic distance technology application in the intervention group and no similar intervention in the control group; and measurement of the intervention effect on process or outcome of care. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were abstracted by independent reviewers using a standardized abstraction form and the quality of methodology was scored. Distance technology applications were described in 6 categories: computerized communication, telephone follow-up and counseling, telephone reminders, interactive telephone systems, after-hours telephone access, and telephone screening. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 80 eligible clinical trials, 61 (76%) analyzed provider-initiated communication with patients and 50 (63%) reported positive outcome, improved performance, or significant benefits, including studies of computerized communication (7 of 7), telephone follow-up and counseling (20 of 37), telephone reminders (14 of 23), interactive telephone systems (5 of 6), telephone access (3 of 4), and telephone screening (1 of 3). Significantly improved outcomes were demonstrated in studies of preventive care, management of osteoarthritis, cardiac rehabilitation, and diabetes care. CONCLUSIONS: Distance medicine technology enables greater continuity of care by improving access and supporting the coordination of activities by a clinician. The benefits of distance technologies in facilitating communication between clinicians and patients indicate that application of telemedicine should not be limited to physician-to-physician communication.

Communication↗
PubMed1997

Angiocardiographic digital still images compressed via irreversible methods: concepts and experiments.

We defined, implemented and tested two new methods for irreversible compression of angiocardiographic still images: brightness error limitation (BEL) and pseudo-gradient adaptive brightness and contrast error limitation (PABCEL). The scan path used to compress the digital images is based on the Peano-Hilbert plane-filling curve. The compression methods limit, for each pixel, the brightness errors introduced when approximating the original image (i.e. the difference between the values of corresponding pixels as grey levels). Additional limitations are imposed to the contrast error observed when considering along the scan path consecutive pixels of both the original and the reconstructed image. After previous testing on angiocardiographic images selected as clinically significant from 35 mm films, we enlarged our experiment to a set of 38 coronary angiograms digitally acquired. BEL and PABCEL methods were experimented according to several values of the implied thresholds. Up to a compression ratio of 9:1 for the BEL method and 10:1 for the PABCEL method, no deterioration of the reconstructed images were detected by human observers. After a visual evaluation, we performed a quantitative evaluation. The visualization of pseudo-colour difference images showed the capability of BEL and PABCEL for preserving the most significant clinical details of the original images. For comparison, we applied the JPEG (joint photographic experts group) image-compression standard to the same set of images. In this case, pseudo-colour difference images showed a homogeneous distribution of errors on the image surface. Quantitative compression results obtained by testing the different methods are comparable, but, unlike JPEG, BEL and PABCEL methods allow the user to keep under his direct control the maximum error allowed at each single pixel of the original image. These different behaviors are confirmed by the values obtained for the considered numerical quality quantifiers.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

Applying object-oriented technologies in modeling and querying temporally oriented clinical databases dealing with temporal granularity and indeterminacy.

The need of managing temporal information given at different levels of granularity or with indeterminacy is common to many application areas. Among them, we focus on clinical data management. Different time granularities and indeterminacy are also needed in querying temporal databases. In this paper, we describe GCH-OSQL (Granular Clinical History-Object Structured Query Language), an object-oriented temporally-oriented extension of SQL. GCH-OSQL is based on an object-oriented temporal data model, GCH-OODM. GCH-OODM allows storage of clinical information at different and mixed granularities or with temporal indeterminacy. GCH-OSQL deals with the valid time of clinical information. The temporal extension of the SELECT construct includes the addition of the TIME-SLICE and MOVING WINDOW clauses, and the capability to reference the temporal dimension of objects in the WHERE and SELECT clauses. Using object-oriented technologies, a system prototype for GCH-OSQL and GCH-OODM has been implemented and applied to data management of follow-up patients after coronary angioplasty intervention.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1997

HyperCare: a prototype of an active database for compliance with essential hypertension therapy guidelines.

HyperCare is a prototype of a decision support system for essential hypertension care management. The medical knowledge implemented in HyperCare derives from the guidelines for the management of mild hypertension of the World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension, and from the recommendations of the United States Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. HyperCare has been implemented using Chimera, an active database language developed at the Politecnico di Milano. HyperCare proves the possibility to use active database systems in developing a medical data-intensive application where inferential elaboration of moderate complexity is required.

Databases as Topic↗
PubMed1996

Supporting temporal queries on clinical relational databases: the S-WATCH-QL language.

Due to the ubiquitous and special nature of time, specially in clinical datábases there's the need of particular temporal data and operators. In this paper we describe S-WATCH-QL (Structured Watch Query Language), a temporal extension of SQL, the widespread query language based on the relational model. S-WATCH-QL extends the well-known SQL by the addition of: a) temporal data types that allow the storage of information with different levels of granularity; b) historical relations that can store together both instantaneous valid times and intervals; c) some temporal clauses, functions and predicates allowing to define complex temporal queries.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1995

ARCADIA: a system for the integration of angiocardiographic data and images by an object-oriented DBMS.

Use of data base techniques to store medical records has been going on for more than 40 years. Some aspects still remain unresolved, e.g., the management of textual data and image data within a single system. Object-orientation techniques applied to a database management system (DBMS) allow the definition of suitable data structures (e.g., to store digital images): some facilities allow the use of predefined structures when defining new ones. Currently available object-oriented DBMS, however, still need improvements both in the schema update and in the query facilities. This paper describes a prototype of a medical record that includes some multimedia features, managing both textual and image data. The prototype here described considers data from the medical records of patients subjected to percutaneous transluminal coronary artery angioplasty. We developed it on a Sun workstation with a Unix operating system and ONTOS as an object-oriented DBMS.

Angiocardiography↗
PubMed1995

An inventory of computer resources for the medical application of virtual reality.

Within the framework of the scientific community, we could define virtual reality (VR) as an effective simulation of complex environmental aspects related to both interaction-dependent and high-risk operations, where mistakes will lead to unacceptable consequences. Surgeons performing open surgery, endoscopists working on the intestine or neurologists working on the brain-all are impressive examples where the VR approach looks potentially quite interesting. In fact the risk of unsatisfactory implementations, too poor with respect to the complexity of the real world, coming from the unsatisfactory performance of the present-day technology, is quite high. Typically, the loss of the real time requirement for the operator interactions can remove much of the effectiveness of what has been built. Some questions about the real need for high performance computational resources and high level graphic resolution need to be answered. This paper presents and discusses an inventory of computational resources used in real applications.

CD-ROM↗
PubMed1995

Querying temporal clinical databases with different time granularities: the GCH-OSQL language.

There is a need for managing temporal clinical information given at different levels of granularity. Different time granularities are also needed in querying clinical databases. In this paper, we describe GCH-OSQL (Granular Clinical History--Object Structured Query Language), an object-oriented temporally-oriented extension of SQL. GCH-OSQL is based on an object-oriented temporal data model. It allows storage of clinical information at different and mixed granularities. GCH-OSQL deals with the valid time of clinical information. GCH-OSQL offers also a graphical user-interface. It guides different end users, from expert to naive, to formulate expressive and correct queries.

Computer Graphics↗
PubMed1995

Managing different time granularities of clinical information by an interval-based temporal data model.

In the field of databases, time management at different levels of granularity has been an issue for several years, for instance when dealing with clinical information from different databases using different time units, dealing with natural language expressions, or when dealing with temporal uncertainty. A temporal data model is proposed to manage the temporal aspect of data, presented at various and mixed levels of granularity. The concept of temporal assertions shapes the entire temporal information. The model provides a temporal dimension to the data by using intervals that can be specified at different granularities. The model supports a three-valued logic, where True, False and Undefined are the truth values. The temporal data model allows to manage some degrees of uncertainty when establishing temporal relationships between intervals or between temporal assertions, expressed at different granularities. The logical connectives and quantifiers can manage each of the three truth-values. We applied the temporal data model by implementing an object-oriented database system for managing follow-up clinical data from patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Databases, Factual↗