The Image Engine HPCC project. A medical digital library system using agent-based technology to create an integrated view of the electronic medical record

This paper describes the Image Engine project supported by the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) biomedical applications of High Performance Computing and Communications (BAA/HPCC) program. Image Engine is a multi-user, object-oriented, client server database system for the storage, retrieval, integration and sharing of a wide range of biomedical images. In addition, Image Engine uses agent-based technology to implement real-time links between medical images and associated data stored in external database systems. This project is a first step towards implementing a multimedia electronic medical record system. As a digital library architecture Image Engine has the potential to support innovative applications in the clinical, research and educational domains of medicine.