DICOM in XML

1
DICOM in XML

• Where were headed

2
Background

• In 2003, the Ad Hoc Publishing Committee created
  proof-of-concept drafts of Parts 3, 6, 12, and
  16
• Base standard in DocBook XML
• DICOM-specific tables for IODs, Modules, Macros,
  Data Dictionary, Templates, Context Groups
• Style sheets for HTML, Chunked HTML (help files),
  PDF
• Lost principle workers in 2004, progress
  stagnated
• NEMA funded student intern to continue conversion

3
Completed Work

• Starting from earlier test conversion of Parts 3,
  6, 12, 16
• Fixed errors in the converted XML source
• Changed environment specific path names to
  relative ones
• Added missing tables
• Portable build environment created (single
  download)
• Ant scripts/Java/xmlproc used to facilitate
  efficient processing in various operating
  environments
• Includes entire processing pipeline (DICOM ?
  DocBook ? Output in various formats, including
  cross reference links)
• Build process to output proven in the Linux and
  Windows XP operating environments
• Prototyped the use of a Subversion (SVN) data
  repository for source control/configuration
  management

4
Current Work (in Progress)

• Completed the initial rough conversion from Word
  to DocBook XML for all remaining Parts (draft
  2005 version)
• Correcting errors in the newly converted XML
  source
• Updating existing XML source for Parts 3, 6, 12,
  and 16 to latest draft 2005 version

5
Work Needed for Publication

• Convert WMF drawings to portable graphics files
  (SVG)
• Compare outputs against the original word
  documents to insure correctness

6
Suggested Additions

• DICOM specific schema for Part 4 and perhaps
  other tables
• Greater cross-referencing between parts
• Set up XCatalogues to simplify organization
  (prototyped)
• Use a database to manage DICOM-specific tables

7
Proposed Timetable

• Next DICOM release (2005/6) still in Word format
• Shortly after next release, make unofficial XML
  version available, base on Ad Hoc group schemas
• Switch officially to XML version in following
  (2006/7) release, dropping Word version
• Future schema changes
• Would be part of the periodic release cycles
• Should include xslt scripts used to convert to
  the new schemas