The National Biomedical Imaging Archive: A repository of advanced imaging information

Learning Objectives NBIA is ideal for researchers who what to capture images from their own nuclear medicine imaging system and store them in a separate searchable research repository. The key functions are a single point of access to images to support development and validation of analytical software for lesion detection and classification, accelerate diagnostic imaging decision making and quantitative imaging assessment of drug response.

The core functions of NBIA allow end users with proper security clearance to download imaging studies, series or individual images after specifying the type of images that are desired as well as the ability to save a recurring query and measurements made on selected images. In NBIA one is able to view image thumbnails or use cine mode display and then create an “image download basket” before downloading images. The RSNA and NCI have collaborated in the creation and testing of Clinical Trial Processing software that is used to transfer images from nuclear medicine and radiology image management systems to a centralized repository after de-identifying them in a manner consistent with the DICOM standard in a manner that can be customized to a particular study or clinical trial. Additionally, the Web-based visualization and annotation capabilities include immediate on-screen visualization of DICOM images integrated with NBIA query results, persistence of annotations from client to NBIA archive, and illustration of virtual central read functionality