The Colibri project: A multicenter shared database of magnetic resonance images about rare neurological diseases

Rare diseases occur infrequently or rarely in a population and among them, nearly 75% affect children. To date, their low prevalence and heterogeneity resulted in a lack of scientific knowledge and prevented an access to a quick and correct diagnosis. The sharing of multiple sources of information from different centers and actors may have a key role in this field. In order to address this issue, a network of Italian centers of excellence in pediatric neuroradiology launched the Colibri project with the aim to collect, share and process data about rare disease patients. The goal is to constitute a large dataset including Magnetic Resonance images and other clinical data of pediatric subjects in order to provide a service for the research and the consultation. The dataset will be made available through an architecture whose components are compliant with the DICOM Standard and will encompass a security mechanism to ensure subject privacy.