MIMOSA: Conceptual modelling of medical image management in an open system architecture

Due to improvements in technology of information processing systems, more and more valuable information is generated each day, in biomedical institutions. Thus, providing a mutual understanding between all users is vital in health care information systems, either paper or computer based. This state of interoperability can be reached by designing an open environment for managing, exchanging and distributing biomedical images and the related informations. PACS attempt to overcome this challenge. Until now, they are only defined in terms of data processing tools, and not in terms of users' requirements. Moreover, border lines between PACS and HIS or RIS, are not well specified. MIMOSA team is using a quite different approach, more suitable to fulfill interoperability. This approach is not centered around any implementation considerations, but takes into account user's needs, i.e., the goal, the behaviour and the dynamics of biomedical images. Consequently, it is more comprehensive and integrates all data and operations involved in biomedical image handling, whatever their origin (image sources, HIS, RIS) is.