Application of PLM for Bio-Medical Imaging in Neuroscience

Abstract : Bio-medical imaging (BMI) is currently confronted to similar issues than those of manufacturing industries twenty years ago : the growing amount of data, the heterogeneity and complexity of information coming from diverse disciplines, have to be handled by various actors belonging to different organizations. The researchers of the GIN (Neuroimaging Functional Group) laboratory study brain maps of anatomical and functional cognitive activation of hundred-subject cohorts, acquired with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Therefore they want to manage the whole process of their research studies, from raw data to analysis results. Even if some data management systems have been developed to meet the requirements of BMI large-scale research studies, there are still many efforts to do in the integration of all the data and processes along a research study, from raw to refined data. So, the use of the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) concepts to handle the complexity and characteristics of BMI data is proposed. A PLM neuroimaging datamodel that has been designed in collaboration between the GIN laboratory, Roberval laboratory and Cadesis company to meet the needs of the GIN, is described.