IMAGE INFORMATICS

A REPORT

Submitted by

20BHI10041 MIMANSA BHARGAVA

20BHI10042 KHUSHI PRADHAN
20BHI10043 LAKKIREDDY BHUVANA SREE
20BHI10044 CIBI SIDDARTH
20BHI10045 VARDAAN NARANG

in partial fulfillment for the requirement of the subject

Biomedical and Health Information Sciences

Subject code: BIO2017 Class Number: BL20222310000102

Semester: Winter Inter semester 2022-23

Submitted to: Dr A. Sirajudeen

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

VIT BHOPAL UNIVERSITY
KOTHRI KALAN , SEHORE
MADHYA PRADESH - 466114

March 2023

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and Foremost, We would like to Thank the Lord Almighty for His presence and

immense blessings throughout the project work.

We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr A. Sirajudeen. and Dr. Swagat Kumar

Samantaray for the valuable support and encouragement in carrying out this work,

actively participating in our report preparation, giving valuable suggestions to

complete the report work.

We would like to Thank all the Technical and Teaching Staff of the School of

Computer Science, who extended directly or indirectly all support.

We are much indebted to our parents who have been the greatest support while we

worked day and night for this report to make it a success.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SNO. TOPIC PG NO
1 ABSTRACT 3

2 INTRODUCTION 4

3 KEY CONCEPTS IN 6
IMAGE
INFORMATICS

4 APPLICATIONS 7

5 CHALLENGES 11

6 CONCLUSION 12

7 REFERENCES 12

ABSTRACT

This report examines current applications in medical imaging informatics,

evaluates their clinical implications, and suggests future directions for advancing
clinical practice. It discusses recent developments in medical imaging acquisition
technologies for various modalities and emphasizes the importance of effective
medical data management strategies in the context of AI-based big healthcare data

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analytics. The report also summarizes the latest algorithmic methods for disease
classification and organ segmentation, with a focus on AI and deep learning
architectures that have become the standard approach. Furthermore, in this report we
have described how in-silico modeling advances and evolving 3D reconstruction and
visualization applications can lead to clinical benefits. Finally, the report concludes
that integrative analytics approaches, utilizing associated research branches, have the
potential to transform imaging informatics across the healthcare continuum, enabling
more precise diagnosis, timely prognosis, and effective treatment planning for both
radiology and digital pathology applications, thus supporting precision medicine.

INTRODUCTION

Imaging informatics is a field that encompasses various stages of the imaging process,
including image creation, distribution, storage, processing, analysis, visualization,
interpretation, and communication. It plays a crucial role in connecting imaging with
other medical disciplines and serves as a unifying force for these processes. In
essence, imaging informatics acts as a central hub that enables seamless
communication and integration between different aspects of the imaging chain.

The main goal of medical imaging informatics is to enhance the effectiveness,

precision, and dependability of medical image usage and exchange within complex
healthcare systems. Advancements in big-data imaging, -omics, and electronic health
records (EHR) analytics, coupled with dynamic workflow optimization,
context-awareness, and visualization, have given rise to a new era in medical imaging
informatics that aims to advance precision medicine. This report presents a summary
of the current concepts, identifies the challenges and opportunities, and explores the
future trends in medical imaging informatics.

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In the field of biomedicine research, medical imaging has become increasingly
important for personalized, predictive, and preventive patient care. Modern
biomedical imaging technology can provide information about human diseases at
various scales, from molecular to organic. However, managing and interpreting this
data is not straightforward. Imaging informatics plays a critical role in translating
advanced imaging techniques into personalized patient care, such as developing
imaging-based phenotypes that correlate with genotypes for personalized drug
treatment. Imaging informatics involves image acquisition, communication, storage
and retrieval, management, processing and analysis, visualization, and interpretation.
It is a multidisciplinary research area that intersects with imaging science, medicine,
computer science, information science, chemistry, and engineering. There are different
ways to categorize imaging informatics depending on the imaging modalities used.
For instance, it can be classified into bioimaging informatics for microscopic imaging
data and medical imaging informatics for human imaging data, such as MRI and CT
scans. This report specifically focuses on medical imaging informatics.

Figure 1

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Applications and challenges of imaging informatics for personalised medicine.
CADD: Computer-Aided Detection and Diagnosis. IGT: Image-guided therapy

KEY CONCEPTS

● Image Acquisition: Image acquisition is the process of capturing images using

various imaging technologies such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI, ultrasound, and
optical microscopy. The quality of the acquired image depends on various
factors such as the imaging technology used, the image resolution, and the
imaging conditions.
● Image Processing: Image processing is the manipulation of images to enhance
their quality or extract useful information. Image processing techniques can be
used to remove noise, sharpen edges, adjust contrast, and extract features such
as contours or shapes.
● Image Analysis: Image analysis involves the use of algorithms and statistical
methods to extract quantitative information from images. This can include the
identification of objects or regions of interest, the measurement of size, shape,
and texture, and the detection of anomalies or patterns.
● Image Visualization: Image visualization is the process of representing image
data in a form that can be easily understood by humans. Visualization
techniques can be used to create 2D or 3D images, color-coded maps, or graphs
to convey information about the image data.
● Image Segmentation: Image segmentation is the process of dividing an image
into regions or objects based on their properties or features. This can be used to
identify specific regions of interest within an image, such as tumor’s in medical
images or cells in microscopy images.

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 ● Image Registration: Image registration is the process of aligning and
combining images that have been acquired at different times or using different
imaging modalities. This can be used to track changes in an image over time or
to combine images from different imaging modalities to improve diagnosis or
treatment.
● Machine Learning: Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that
involves the use of algorithms and statistical models to enable machines to learn
from data and make predictions or decisions. In image informatics, machine
learning can be used to develop algorithms for image analysis, classification,
and segmentation.
● Data Management: Data management is the process of storing, organizing,
and retrieving image data. This can include the development of databases,
metadata standards, and data sharing protocols to enable the sharing and
integration of image data across different research groups and institutions.

APPLICATIONS

● Diagnostic radiology
Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACSs) were one of the earliest
imaging informatics systems developed for diagnostic radiology. They were created to
store, retrieve, distribute, and present medical images, and have transformed the field
from film-based radiology to filmless radiology. Although originally designed for
image archiving and visualization, PACSs are rapidly evolving to provide automation
of image processing and analysis, integration with hospital workflows, and the ability
to manage images from anywhere. The future of PACS development is focused on
providing clinical radiologists with advanced imaging informatics systems capable of
sensitive, reproducible, quantitative assessment of diseases.

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 ● Computer-aided detection and diagnosis
Computer-Assisted Detection and Diagnosis (CADD) is a medical imaging procedure
that supports physicians in detecting and diagnosing diseases. CADD has become a
valuable tool for early detection, differential diagnosis, and disease staging. CADD
imaging informatics systems are widely used for detecting cancer, such as in
mammography screening or lung cancer diagnosis. In neuroimaging, CADD plays a
critical role in differential diagnosis for diseases like Alzheimer's and Dementia with
Lewy Bodies. Neuroimaging studies have shown that structural MRI and diffusion
tensor imaging can reveal subtle regional differences in brain structure that aid in
diagnosis. As imaging technology advances, it is increasingly important for accurate
quantification of abnormalities to aid in early diagnosis and treatment of diseases like
Alzheimer's.
● Image-Guided Therapy
Image-Guided Therapy (IGT) uses real-time imaging to guide physicians and
surgeons during procedures, allowing for more precise and informed decision-making.
IGT imaging informatics systems provide object segmentation, tracking, data fusion,
visualization, navigation, and integration software. There has been significant
development in IGT algorithms and software packages, such as the National Centre
for Image-Guided Therapy (NCIGT) at Brigham and Women's Hospital, which
provides resources for research, training, and service-oriented tools in the field of IGT.
These resources include image analysis and visualization tools, dynamic and adaptive
MRI techniques, new therapies, and image-guided robotics.
● Imaging biomarker
Imaging biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for disease diagnosis,
staging, and treatment monitoring, offering greater reproducibility and more precise
quantification than traditional clinical and cognitive measures. Imaging informatics is
a critical tool for identifying valid imaging biomarkers from large amounts of data.

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The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is an example of a project
aimed at identifying valid imaging biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment of
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by collecting data from hundreds of elderly Normal
Controls, subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and subjects with AD over
several years. The raw and processed data from the ADNI project is available to
investigators and the public, and active studies are underway to find valid imaging
biomarkers for AD progression.

Similarly, the National Institute of Cancer (NIC) has a collaborative project called
caBIG In Vivo Imaging Workspace that focuses on optimizing and integrating
imaging informatics into cancer detection, diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up. The
workspace was launched in 2005, and a large group of researchers has developed
cutting-edge technologies for identifying and validating imaging biomarkers for
cancer. Computational techniques for identifying biomarkers have been proposed,
including those used in the pharmaceutical industry.

● Enabling research infrastructure

Imaging informatics has a crucial role in promoting collaborations between
researchers and creating infrastructure for large-scale studies on complex diseases
such as Schizophrenia. The causes of these diseases are largely unknown and require a
comprehensive research approach. One example of such an approach is the Functional
Biomedical Informatics Imaging Network (fBIRN) project, which aimed to develop
imaging informatics tools to facilitate multi-site functional MRI studies on
Schizophrenia. The fBIRN project aimed to create an infrastructure and
methodologies for conducting multi-centre fMRI studies and disseminating these
methodologies to other research groups for larger collaborative studies. Another
project, the National Alliance of Medical Image Computing (NAMIC), focuses on

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developing imaging informatics methods and tools for the analysis and visualization
of medical image data for the study of Schizophrenia. The NAMIC project combines
advanced computer vision research with state-of-the-art software engineering
techniques to enable computational examination of this complex disease.
● Personalized medicine
Molecular imaging is a technology that allows doctors to diagnose, treat, and monitor
diseases in a personalized way. It requires the collaboration of multiple scientific
disciplines, including biology, chemistry, imaging, engineering, and clinical practice.
The integration of molecular imaging into molecular medicine involves the
identification of targets, the localization of relevant molecular targets in the body, and
the development of personalized treatment plans using imaging and image-guided
tissue analysis.

Imaging informatics is essential for the translation of molecular imaging into

personalized medicine. It provides IT infrastructure and software tools for image
archive and management, as well as the processing and quantification of imaging data
generated by various imaging modalities. Imaging informatics also supports the
development and testing of new molecular imaging agents and therapeutic compounds
by providing mathematical imaging modeling methods. In addition, it offers
visualization tools for efficient interpretation and presentation of imaging results, such
as multimodality imaging fusion, volume and surface rendering, interactive editing,
and visual tracking.

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CHALLENGES

Imaging studies often involve multiple types of data, such as molecular, imaging,
cognitive, behavioral, clinical, and demographic data. The ADNI metadata database,
for example, contains 63 tables with over 2500 data entries per patient. This poses a
significant challenge for data analysis and interpretation for physicians and
computational algorithms. Thus, there is a need to integrate imaging informatics with
other bioinformatics and medical informatics tools to create a comprehensive
approach for connecting imaging data with other types of molecular and clinical data.
As these complex data sets become more prevalent in addressing complex biological
questions, this integration is a crucial research topic for the future.

Some of the main challenges in image informatics are:

● Data Quality: The quality of image data is crucial for accurate analysis and
interpretation. However, image data can be affected by various factors, such as
noise, distortion, and artifacts. Image informatics algorithms need to be robust
and reliable to handle such challenges.

● Big Data: The amount of image data generated is increasing rapidly, leading to
challenges in storage, processing, and analysis. Image informatics algorithms
need to be scalable and efficient to handle big data.

● Interoperability: Image informatics involves data from different sources and

formats, making it challenging to integrate and share data. Standardization and
interoperability frameworks need to be developed to ensure data exchange and
integration.

● Privacy and Security: Image data can contain sensitive and personal
information, leading to concerns about privacy and security. Image informatics
algorithms need to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data
while respecting privacy laws and regulations.

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 ● Bias and Fairness: Image informatics algorithms can be biased and lead to
unfair outcomes, particularly in areas such as facial recognition and object
detection. It is essential to develop algorithms that are fair and unbiased and
address issues such as algorithmic discrimination.

● Ethical and Social Concerns: Image informatics raises ethical and social
concerns, such as the use of facial recognition in surveillance and the potential
misuse of image data. It is crucial to develop ethical frameworks and guidelines
that address these concerns and ensure responsible use of image informatics
technologies.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, image informatics is an interdisciplinary field that has revolutionized

the way we acquire, process, analyze , and interpret images. It has diverse applications
in different fields, ranging from medical imaging and biomedical research to remote
sensing, robotics, art and culture, and security and surveillance. However, image
informatics faces several challenges, such as data quality, big data, interoperability,
privacy and security, bias and fairness, and ethical and social concerns. These
challenges need to be addressed to ensure the responsible and effective use of image
informatics technologies. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between
experts from different disciplines, including computer science, engineering,
mathematics, physics, biology, and medicine. Furthermore, it requires the
development of robust and reliable algorithms, standardization and interoperability
frameworks, ethical guidelines, and education and training programs. Despite the
challenges, image informatics holds great promise for advancing research, innovation,
and discovery in various fields and improving human health and well-being.

REFERENCES

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/data-science/research/research-themes/image-informatics/

https://www.abii.org/About-Imaging-Informatics.aspx

https://medicine.iu.edu/radiology/initiatives/imaging-informatics

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