Neuroinformatics Database (NiDB)--a modular, portable database for the storage, analysis, and sharing of neuroimaging data

Abstract

We present a modular, high performance, open-source database system that incorporates popular neuroimaging database features with novel peer-to-peer sharing, and a simple installation. An increasing number of imaging centers have created a massive amount of neuroimaging data since fMRI became popular more than 20 years ago, with much of that data unshared. The Neuroinformatics Database (NiDB) provides a stable platform to store and manipulate neuroimaging data and addresses several of the impediments to data sharing presented by the INCF Task Force on Neuroimaging Datasharing, including 1) motivation to share data, 2) technical issues, and 3) standards development. NiDB solves these problems by 1) minimizing PHI use, providing a cost effective simple locally stored platform, 2) storing and associating all data (including genome) with a subject and creating a peer-to-peer sharing model, and 3) defining a sample, normalized definition of a data storage structure that is used in NiDB. NiDB not only simplifies the local storage and analysis of neuroimaging data, but also enables simple sharing of raw data and analysis methods, which may encourage further sharing.

Fig. 1. Object hierarchy of NiDB, showing the subject-centric model

Fig. 2. Pipeline specification screen. Pipeline variables are filled out with analysis specific information at run time

Fig. 3. Correlation matrix for ventricle size and age calculated from FreeSurfer analyses from 2,799 subjects