FAIR Synthesis: BioMed Image Archive

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The BioMed Image Archive itself is an established source of biomedical images that has been available for a number of years. This project has developed software to allow institutions and individuals to submit images to the archive remotely, in order to share these with the wider community. The Archive has also explored the use of Open Archives Initiative protocol to facilitate disclosure of image metadata from the collection for others to search elsewhere. A major issue that has affected the project has been the legal and ethical considerations of how medical images are collected and disclosed, and these have been explored in depth.

 

Further information is available via the JISC project page and service website. Please note that the service is now an ATHENS-controlled resources: please refer to your local library for details of whether your institution has access.

 

Outputs from the project include the image repository software developed, a reviewed collection of images, documentation and guidance to support the ongoing development of this and other image collections, a one-day conference on Patient Permission, a journal article describing the project and a series of presentations.  A number of connections with relevant organisations has also arisen from the project.

 

Contact

Lesly Huxley
Institute for Learning and Research Technology
University of Bristol
8-10 Berkeley Square
Bristol BS8 1HH

Email: lesly.huxley@bristol.ac.uk
Tel: 0117 928 7196

Software

The project developed an Apache Cocoon-based open source software repository system for images. This system provided for the capture, management and display of images and associated metadata. It had a built in authentication layer using ATHENS and used OpenLDAP to support authorisation. The software supported the submission, review and copyright checking of new images. The system was based on a model supporting the self-deposit of images into a community collection. It should be noted, though, that due to the legal environment that the project took place in, with concerns over patient consent, this model cannot currently be used to its full capability, with collection building currently requiring greater control and checks than first envisaged.

Content

The original BioMed collection comprised nearly 8500 biomedical images.  As a result of legal and ethical concerns raised during the project about patient consent for the images and how they are disclosed and used, an independent expert review of all images took place.  This resulted in 8000 images being cleared for use within the HE/FE and NHS communities according to the BioMed Image Archive terms and conditions and licence agreement.  The collection is currently available at its present location pending hosting negotiations to ensure the long-term future of the Archive. 

Documentation and guidance

The following documentation has been produced to guide development of the BioMed Archive, but can also be used in the setting up and maintenace of other image archives, particularly where ethical concerns are an issue.  They have been used, for example, within more wide-ranging reviews of policy development for image and other repositories at the University of Bristol.

Event

Patient Permission: a one-day conference was held at the University of Bristol on 6th January 2004, with over 120 people attending from a variety of HE/FE and NHS backgrounds. See details, presentations and a selection of relevant websites.

Connections

The project worked with the following organisations during its funded period to specifically address the issues of image copyright and patient permission, as well as the general aims and objectives of the Archive:

Publication

Evans, J. and Mahoney, J., Using images of patients for learning and teaching – the BioMed Image Archive experience. Health Information on the Internet, 2003, Number 36: 3-5.

Presentations

BioMed Image Archive - a poster, JISC Joint programmes meeting, Brighton, 6-7th July 2004

Ethical aspects of using digital images of people for education, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Ethicomp, University of the Aegean, Syros, Greece, 14-16th April 2004, abstract available at http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/conferences/ethicomp/ethicomp2004/abstracts/16.html

Ethical and legal aspects of using digital images of patients for learning and teaching, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Technology and Health Care, Volume 11(5)/MedNet, University Hospital of Geneva, 4-7th December 2003, abstract available at http://www.hon.ch/Mednet2003/abstracts/422925363.html

Issues of sustainability for digital image resources, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Standing Conference for the Heads of Media Services (SCHoMS), University of Portsmouth, 19-20th November 2003

IPR issues when sharing resources, Jill Evans, ALT-C 2003, Sheffield University, 8-10th September 2003

Sustaining digital resources through community involvement, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Digital Resources in the Humanities, University of Gloucester, 31st August-3rd September 2003

The BioMed Image Archive: the use of online images of patients for learning, teaching and research, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Southern Institute of Health Informatics Conference, University of Portsmouth, 12th June 2003, available at http://www.disco.port.ac.uk/hcc/sihi/sihi2003/proceedings.htm

The BioMed Image Archive, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, Continuing Professional Development for IT, Thackray Medical Museum Conference Centre, Leeds, 10th March 2003

The BioMed Image Archive, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, LTSN-01 Breaking the Boundaries: Innovation in Medical Education, University of Manchester, 12-13th February 2003

The BioMed Image Archive, Jill Evans and John Mahoney, LTSN Festival of Learning, Redland Hotel and Conference Centre, Bristol, 19-20th September 2002

See also

Accessing the Virtual Museum
Harvesting the FitzWilliam
Hybrid Archives

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