The Image Engine HPCC project. A medical digital library system using agent-based technology to create an integrated view of the electronic medical record

This paper describes the Image Engine project supported by the National Library of Medicine´s (NLM) biomedical applications of High Performance Computing and Communications (BAA/HPCC) program. Image Engine is a multi-user, object-oriented, client server database system for the storage, retrieval, integration and sharing of a wide range of biomedical images. In addition, Image Engine uses agent-based technology to implement real-time links between medical images and associated data stored in external database systems. This project is a first step towards implementing a multimedia electronic medical record system. As a digital library architecture Image Engine has the potential to support innovative applications in the clinical, research and educational domains of medicine