Summary

The strategic initiative “Joint Imaging Platform” was started in July 2017. It aims at establishing a distributed IT infrastructure for image analysis and machine learning at all member institutions of the DKTK. It facilitates pooling of analysis methods that can be applied in an automated and standardized manner to patient data of the different centers. We investigate distributed learning methods as well as latest private cloud technologies for a robust, safe, and flexible deployment of data management and processing methods.  

In 2018, we refined the requirements and developed a first version of the core components of the system:

• JIP Base: User interface for image review, processing control, monitoring, management and configuration
• JIP Store: Service for communication with local storage solutions (e.g. PACS)
• JIP Meta: Metadata search and exploration engine for cohort definition
• JIP Flow: Processing engine for standardized and distributed analysis and machine learning

A quality-centric process was established to manage requirements and test feedback. Security aspects like a login system connected to local authorization backends were addressed.

A first version of meta data analysis was evaluated on 1900 subjects at DKFZ, comprising >3000 CT and MR series. Automatic organ segmentation and radiomics calculations were performed to validate the JIP Flow component. A system for efficient web-based review of automatic segmentation results was identified as a necessary component. The successful development and evaluation was published and will be presented at the BVM 2019.

The Heidelberg team tested a first prototype of the platform at Essen, Frankfurt and Munich (TUM) as well as Heidelberg University Hospital and DKFZ Radiology. Feedback and lessons learned were integrated in the further specification and development of the components for connectivity to clinical systems. Further cross-site interaction was initiated through SW demonstrations at the RöKo (05/18), the DKTK retreat (10/18) as well as for the administrative site representatives of the DKTK (11/18). The first official release was made available for all sites (03/19).