This chapter describes how to search the local and any selected remote image databases for images.
Topics in this chapter include:
Performing Searches
TCIA enables you to search for images in the local TCIA in vivo image repository. If available, you can also search remote imaging archives.
TCIA is designed to perform the following tasks:
- Search for images in simple or advanced search mode
- Combine search criteria defined in those searches with keyword searches of curated annotation data
- Save the search queries to be used repeatedly
- Review query histories
As subjects, studies, series or images are located, save them to your data basket for download.
Downloading series with annotation files
When you download a series that has annotation files (indicated by Yes in the Contains Annotations column), they are automatically downloaded as well.
TCIA submissions are organized in the following hierarchy, which is important to remember in creating your search query and reviewing search results:
Collection > Patient (Subject) > Study > Series > Images |
|---|
TCIA provides three search modes:
Performing a Simple Search
Performing a Text Search
To perform a text search
On the NBIA home page, click Text Search or Search Images > Text Search.
The Text Search page appears.
- Select the number of search results per page the search will return.
- In the box at the top of the page, enter a text string.
Use Lucene conventions
for wildcards. Do not use colons as NBIA automatically filters them from the criteria. Lucene designates colons as fields. Since the text search searches all fields, colons are not necessary. Click Submit.
The search results appear.
Navigation Tips
- Click the down arrow next to a column title to sort the column by that item.
- Click the arrows at the bottom of the table to display the first, previous, next, or last page of results.
- Click the page number links to move to a specific page of results.
The following table describes each item in the search results table.
Search Result Description Collection ID Collection identifier Subject ID Click the Subject ID to view all study images for this subject in a DICOM web viewer, a single series' thumbnails, or the DICOM header for the first image in the series. See Search Results (Studies for Subject).
Hit The field in the study where the text string you entered as your search criteria appears.
Total Studies Total number of studies for the subject Total Series Total number of image series for the subject 
Add the images for a single series or the entire study to your data basket. When you have marked a record for addition to the data basket, it is highlighted in yellow.
- Click
to select the record and 
to clear it. - To mark all records in the search results as records you want to add to your data basket, click the basket icon in the column header or click
.
For more information, see Managing the Data Basket.
Performing an Advanced Search
To perform an advanced search
- On the NBIA home page, click Advanced Search or Search Images > Advanced Search.
The Advanced Search page appears.
- Select the number of search results per page the search will return.
- From the Match options, select ALL to find image series that meet all of your search criteria or select ANY Criteria to find image series that meet any of your search criteria.
- From the first Criteria list, select an NBIA entity. Your selection here determines the options available for the rest of the search criteria.
Select options from the lists or enter text into the box as needed to perform your search. If you enter text into the box, click the Add icon (
) for each set of criteria you define.
As soon as you specify the final criterion, the criteria you selected appear in the box below the criteria and the search results appear to the right.Modality searches
Modality searches only support the CT and MR modalities.
Navigation Tips
- Click the down arrow next to a column title to sort the column by that item.
- Click the arrows at the bottom of the table to display the first, previous, next, or last page of results.
- Click the page number links to move to a specific page of results.
The following table describes each item in the search results table.
Search Result Description Collection ID Collection identifier Subject ID Click the Subject ID to view all study images for this subject in a DICOM web viewer, a single series' thumbnails, or the DICOM header for the first image in the series. See Search Results (Studies for Subject).
Matched Studies Total number of studies for this subject that match the search criteria
Total Studies Total number of studies for the subject Matched Series Total number of image series for the subject that match the search criteria Total Series Total number of image series for the subject 
Add the images for a single series or the entire study to your data basket. When you have marked a record for addition to the data basket, it is highlighted in yellow.
- Click
to select the record and 
to clear it. - To mark all records in the search results as records you want to add to your data basket, click the basket icon in the column header or click
.
For more information, see Managing the Data Basket.
To further refine your results, select new search criteria. These new criteria filter your existing results and as with the previous search, the criteria you selected appear in a box below the criteria. Click the
to delete the record from the page or click 
to delete all criteria and start over.
