The document describes a data model for representing clinical measurement terms and their relationships in a structured nomenclature. Key elements include base concepts, differentiating criteria sets to specialize concepts, and semantic links to define relationships between descriptive elements. The model supports building systematic names in a directed way and representing synonyms and language variations.
2. Block Partition BaseConcept
name : string partitionName : string label
code : ushort description : string 1..* definition DifferentiatingCriteriaSet
label : string lowerRange : ushort 1 -setID : Enumeration
description : string 1 upperRange : ushort -purpose : string 0..1
* 1
termTableRefId : string -description : string
1 1..*
1..* -may be specialized by
1 1..* 1 0..1
terms may be modified by
SemanticLink
* label : string
description : string
Discriminator Set EnumerationSet 0..1
1
-setId -setId : int 1
* allowed subsequent links
-range -range : ushort
-description -description : string 1..*
1..*
DescriptorSet
1 description
Discriminator
offset : ushort
postFixRefId : string 0..1
1..* 1
*
allowed subsequet descriptor sets
Enumeration may have an
1..*
-enumId : string
-valueType : ushort 0..1 Descriptor
-enumValue : string Note; “allowed subsequent” relationships
label
1 definition support directed definition of terms (i.e.,
adds determinism). It also includes (as a
component) support for generalization/
specialization of concepts.
3. For example:
Pressure|Continuous,Positive|Gas|Airway - CPAP Pressure - CPAP - <desc> - MDC_PRESS_AWAY_CTS_POS - 20724
or
Flow|Inspiration,Maximum|Gas|Ventilator - Vent Insp Max Flow - <abrev> - <desc> - MDC_VENT_FLOW_INSP_MAX - 20877
Base Concepts: Pressure, Flow, Mode, Duration, Concentration, Compliance/Resistence, Index, Duration, …
1st Set Differentiating Criteria - “measurement features”:
Semantic Link “has method”: Dynamic/Static/Occlusion, Pressure/Transthoracic, Continuous,
Applied/Intrinsic/Positive/PositiveEndexpiratory
Semantic Link “has time criterion”: Inspiration/InspirationPhase/Expiration/ExpirationPhase/Endexpiratory,…
Semantic Link “is computed as”: Mean/Maximum/Minumum, Difference(…), Ratio(…)
2nd Set Differentiating Criteria - “target of the measurement”:
Semantic Link “concerns”: Breathing, Ventilation, Gas/CO2/O2/Desflurane/…
3rd Set Differentiating Criteria - “context (functional or organic system) in which term is relevant”:
Semantic Link “has context”: Airway/Breathing/LungStructure/RespiratoryProcess/RespiratoryTract, Ventilator
Notes:
(1) Need mechanism for referencing tables from descriptions. Question: Is there a 1:1 relationship between Partitions and
tables in the nomenclature document?
(2) A synonym relationship has been added to Term. This is intended to support terms from different blocks that have the
same semantic. For example, some ECG terms in the SCADA Block and the ECG Extensions (Annotations) block.
(3) Need to add a mechanism to support directed selection of Descriptors. For example, when you select item A, then you
can only select subsequent items C & D, but not E. If you select item B, then you can do D & E but not C. Etc. This could
be as simple as specifying how systematic names are developed, starting at the Base Concept, 1ST Set Differentiating
Criteria, 1st Semantic Link, 2nd Semantic Link, 2nd Set Differentiating Criteria… IOW - The reflexive relationships on the
systematic name objects provide the scoping needed to direct the development of systematic names.
NOTE: There is a difference between the relationships on the model that define a specific instance of a systematic name vs.
separate relationships that indicate ALL the valid options for systematic names that support definition functions. See model
on Systematic Name Definition Support page.
(4) Is the synonym relationship on Descriptors simply there to help with country / language differences or is it really needed?
If it is the former, then we don’t need the relationship but rather could use Locale specific version of the label and description
attributes.
(5) Do we need to include Rationale for constraints in the set of semantic links or descriptors that are allowed given the
selection of a “higher” concept?
(6) Should we add the idea of Category to sets of terms at a shared level of generalization?