This chapter introduces a project named eDiamond, which aims to develop a Grid-enabled federated database of annotated mammograms, built at a number of sites (initially in the United Kingdom), and which ensures database consistency and reliable image processing. A key feature of eDiamond is that images are ‘standardised’ prior to storage. Section describes what this means, and why it is a fundamental requirement for numerous grid applications, particularly in medical image analysis, and especially in mammography | 41 eDiamond a Grid-enabled federated database of annotated mammograms Michael Brady 1 David Gavaghan 2 Andrew Simpson 3 Miguel Mulet Parada 3 and Ralph Highnam3 1 Oxford University Oxford United Kingdom 2 Computing Laboratory Oxford United Kingdom 3 Oxford Centre for Innovation Oxford United Kingdom INTRODUCTION This chapter introduces a project named eDiamond which aims to develop a Grid-enabled federated database of annotated mammograms built at a number of sites initially in the United Kingdom and which ensures database consistency and reliable image processing. A key feature of eDiamond is that images are standardised prior to storage. Section describes what this means and why it is a fundamental requirement for numerous grid applications particularly in medical image analysis and especially in mammography. The eDiamond database will be developed with two particular applications in mind teaching and supporting diagnosis. There are several other applications for such a database as Section discusses which are the subject of related projects. The remainder of Grid Computing - Making the Global Infrastructure a Reality. Edited by F. Berman A. Hey and G. Fox 2003 John Wiley Sons Ltd ISBN 0-470-85319-0 924 MICHAEL BRADY ETAL. this section discusses the ways in which information technology IT is impacting on the provision of health care - a subject that in Europe is called Healthcare Informatics. Section outlines some of the issues concerning medical images and then Section describes mammography as an important special case. Section is concerned with medical image databases as a prelude to the description in Section of the eDiamond e-Science project. Section relates the eDiamond project to a number of other efforts currently under way most notably the US NDMA project. Finally we draw some conclusions in Section . All Western societies are confronting similar problems in providing effective healthcare at an affordable cost .
