Medical image databases: the ICOS project

This paper introduces the work of the Image Coding and Segmentation to Support Variable Rate Transmission Channels and Variable Resolution Platforms (ICoS) project currently running in Bristol, UK. The aim of the project is to build a system capable of storing medical images and sending them over computer networks, in such a way that doctors can rely on those images for diagnosis. The system will also be used for medical training, where the ability to view images on a portable computer is important. The project´s ultimate goal is to test and demonstrate the finished system. The medical nature of the images presents special problems, both in terms of efficient perceptually lossless compression and in ensuring the reliability and integrity of the system