DATABASE FOR ARCHIVED PRESENTATION CASES

• Abstract:
  Implementation of a centralized database to allow for archiving presentation cases with pertinent data including texts and images. This application facilitates all the routine operations on data archival: storing, editing, deleting, and retrieving. The program access utilizes the built-in security feature of the departmental network.
  
  Two modules are implemented in this program: (a) A client-server module to manage data files (storing, editing, and deleting), The actual image files in the file server can be manipulated in Windows Explorer (presented as a pop-up window from the interface). Routine file operations such as: moving files from one directory to another, deleting files, and renaming files can be performed in this window.; (b) A Web-based module to retrieve data files. A variety of options are available to retrieve data files: browse the full list of cases then select the one of interests, seach the database for cases matching certain criteria such as diagnosis, SNOMED code, etc. The Web-based module also allows for the simple operation of image and data input.
  
  
• Development platforms:
  (a)The client-server module (management module) is designed as a two-tiered application (presentation & logics, data layers). The data tier consists of two servers: a MS SQL Server 7, and a file server. The SQL Server database contains all parameters related to a case including diagnosis, image file with its pathname, and other pertinent data. The file server contains the actual image files. The SQL server 7 and the file server reside in separate Windows NT servers in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas-Houston, Medical School.
  
  The client program is designed with MS Visual Basic 6.0 and contains the presentation & logics component. Editing data in the database is achieved with Active Data Object (ADO) in conjunction with structured query language (SQL). The client program is installed in Windows NT 4.0 workstations.
  
  (b)The Web-based module (user module) is designed as a three-tiered application (presentation, logics,data layers) implemented in Microsoft ASP 2.0. The ASP technology works on the Active Server platform which utilizes Component Object Model (COM). Manipulation of data can be achieved with Active Data Object (ADO) in conjunction with structured query language (SQL). VBScript and JavaScript were used for scripting on the server side and the client side, respectively. This web-based program is installed in a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 server running Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0. The data reside in a Microsoft SQL Server 7.0.
  
  (c)The microscopic images are captured digitally from microscopic slides using an Axis 2400 Video Server (Axis Communications Benelux, Rotterdam, Netherlands).
  
  
• Publication:
  Gupta, D., Wu, S., Nguyen, A. : An Image Database for Archived Presentation Cases. The 80 th Annual Meeting of Texas Society of Pathologists, Jan., 2001, Galveston, Texas.

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