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Standards and reference desk

Working references, each annotated with when to use it. This is the canonical practical reference (the former docs/sources.md verify-status table is folded in here). When a tool’s behaviour is ambiguous, the standard/setool docs here are the source of truth.

Verification note: source families below were verified 2026-08-10. A specific claim still requires verifying the exact source at point of use, with a retrieval date. Never invent a citation.


DICOM

Resource What When to use it
DICOM Standarddicom.nema.org/standard.html (VERIFIED 2026-08-10, 2026c ed.) The normative standard (PS3.1–18). Key pages: Image Plane Module (geometry), Segmentation Image Module (SEG types). Settle a precise question only. For geometry use PS3.3 Image Plane Module; for pixels use Image Pixel Module + Modality LUT (Rescale Slope/Intercept). Do not browse.
Innolitics DICOM browserdicom.innolitics.com Fast searchable browser over the standard Default lookup: open this tab whenever a tag appears; read its definition, VR, module.
pydicompydicom.github.io Python DICOM library + docs Every hands-on task. “Dataset basics” and the “Pixel Data” tutorial cover ~90% of needs.
“DICOM is Easy”dicomiseasy.blogspot.com Gentle conceptual tutorial First read-through of Patient→Study→Series→Instance and tag/VR/length from a real example.

Key parts to know exist (PS3.3): Image Plane Module (ImagePositionPatient, ImageOrientationPatient), Image Pixel Module (PixelData, BitsAllocated, RescaleSlope/Intercept), Modality LUT semantics, Multi-frame Functional Group macros (for SEG per-frame geometry).

Physical image handling

Resource What When to use it
SimpleITK fundamentals — simpleitk.org (read the fundamental concepts) Origin/spacing/direction, physical vs index space, resampling The single best reference for Ch. 2 geometry + resampling. Read the “fundamental concepts” page before any resampling code.
SimpleITK Resample / Transforms reference — docs The Resample API, interpolators, transforms When implementing image (BSpline/Linear) vs mask (NearestNeighbor) resampling.

Segmentation / visualization

Resource What When to use it
3D Slicer documentation — slicer.readthedocs.io Loading studies, Segment Editor, volumes, transforms Visual QC (Ch. 2 Part E), ROI inspection (Ch. 3). Read alongside the Witowski course + the 3D Slicer companion.
3D Slicer Training Compendiumtraining.slicer.org Structured step-by-step tutorials with sample data Companion exercises for Ch. 1–3 and learning/companion-3d-slicer.md.
DICOM SEG (Segmentation Storage; PS3.3 Segment Image IOD) SEG object model: functional groups, source-image refs, segment identity, BINARY/FRACTIONAL/LABELMAP types When decoding SEGs or reasoning about SEG↔mask round-trip (Ch. 2 Part C).
dcmqi / highdicomgithub.com/QIICR/dcmqi / highdicom.readthedocs.io SEG encoding/decoding beyond pydicom When you must read/write SEGs robustly (segmentation metadata, fractional/labelmap types).
nnU-Net (Isensee et al., MICCAI 2021) — github.com/MIC-DKFZ/nnUNet Self-configuring medical-image segmentation baseline The strong default segmentation architecture (TotalSegmentator is built on it); read Ch. 6 Part C.
MONAImonai.io PyTorch medical-imaging DL framework + tutorials 2D/3D segmentation, transforms; integrates with Slicer (MONAIAuto3DSeg).

Quantitative imaging

Resource What When to use it
IBSI 1 — Zwanenburg et al., Radiology 2020;295(2):328-338 — PMID 32154773 / doi (VERIFIED); ref. manual arXiv:1612.07003; ibsi.readthedocs.io Feature definitions, reference values, image-processing workflow The standardisation layer for Ch. 3. Defines what a handcrafted feature is and how to process consistently.
IBSI 2 — Whybra et al., Radiology 2024 — doi (VERIFIED 2026-08-10) Standardised convolutional filters (LoG/wavelet/Riesz) + reference filtered images/feature values When you use filtered features — closes the gap that made wavelet features least reproducible.
QIBA (Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance, RSNA) — rsna.org/QIBA; Profiles qibawiki.rsna.org (VERIFIED 2026-08-10) Profiles with a performance Claim (bias + repeatability/precision under a stated protocol) for a specific biomarker The broader measurement framework: FDG-PET SUV, DWI ADC, CT tumour volume change, etc. “What a measurement is worth.”
PyRadiomicspyradiomics.readthedocs.io (features: features.html) Open-source feature extraction (image type, binWidth, resampling, feature classes) The implementation for Ch. 3. Pin parameters in a YAML file (as TRACE-CT does). Implements IBSI-style features with documented deviations — read the per-feature notes when strict cross-software reproducibility matters.
SlicerRadiomics — 3D Slicer extension PyRadiomics in a UI Build intuition interactively before scripting batch extraction.

Relationship: QIBA characterises the measurement (bias/precision) → IBSI 1/2 define the feature/filter computation → PyRadiomics implements → SlicerRadiomics visualises.

Research reporting / validation

Resource What When to use it
CLAIM 2024 — Tejani et al., Radiol AI 2024;6(4):e240300 — doi (VERIFIED 2026-08-10) Reporting of imaging-AI model studies (classification/segmentation/reconstruction). Not for radiomics/biomarker studies. Ch. 7 lens for an imaging-AI model paper.
TRIPOD+AI — Collins et al. 2024 — tripod-statement.org (VERIFIED 2026-08-10) Reporting of prediction-model studies (regression or ML) Ch. 7 lens for a prediction model.
PROBAST+AI — Moons et al., BMJ 2025;388:e082505 — doi (VERIFIED 2026-08-10); extends/replaces PROBAST-2019 Risk-of-bias appraisal of prediction-model studies Ch. 4/7: the systematic way to find leakage paths.
CLEAR — Kocak et al., Insights Imaging 2023;14:75 — PMID 37142815 / doi (VERIFIED 2026-08-10); + CLEAR-E3 (2024) + METRICS The 58-item radiomics reporting checklist (ESR/EuSoMII-endorsed) Ch. 3/7: the primary radiomics appraisal tool — not CLAIM.

Framework selection by study type (Ch. 7)

  • Prediction-model study (regression or ML) → TRIPOD+AI (reporting) + PROBAST+AI (risk of bias).
  • Imaging-AI model study (classification / segmentation / reconstruction) → CLAIM 2024.
  • Imaging-biomarker / radiomics studyCLEAR (NOT CLAIM 2024, which excludes radiomics); IBSI 1/2 for feature/filter computation.

Other useful anchors

Resource When to use it
IHE — Radiology TF + AI profiles (AIW-I Rev 1.1 TI 2020, AIR Rev 1.3 TI 2025, AIRA AI Result Assessment, TI 2025) — profiles.ihe.net (VERIFIED 2026-08-10; all Trial Implementation) Imaging-informatics workflow & interoperability failure modes (Ch. 5); AIRA for post-deployment assessment (Ch. 9).
RSNA / MICCAI / SIIM educational materials; TCIA datasets & challenges Real data, methods, baselines (UNVERIFIED until used).
Bushberg, Essential Physics of Medical Imaging (recognised textbook) CT acquisition/reconstruction/dose depth — read when dose/reconstruction becomes an active TRACE-CT variable.

Rules

  • Never invent a citation; never copy a citation without checking when the claim matters. Prefer DOI/PMID; record the retrieval date on verify.
  • If reliable sources disagree, preserve the disagreement; do not silently resolve it by intuition.
  • Distinguish and label: ESTABLISHED EVIDENCE · EXPERT CONSENSUS · COMMON PRACTICE · PLAUSIBLE INFERENCE · PROJECT HYPOTHESIS.