National Biomedical Imaging Archive (NBIA)

The National Biomedical Imaging Archive (NBIA) is a free and open-source platform that provides the biomedical research community with access to biomedical images, annotations, and related data.

  • It is developed by the National Cancer Institue (NCI) and aims to improve healthcare by fostering research in areas including cancer, lung diseases, and brain disorders.

The NBIA is primarily used in the fields of medical and health research.

  • This includes areas such as radiology, oncology, neurology, pathology and more.

  1. Radiology: Radiologists use this archive to access a variety of images such as CT scans, MRI scans that help them in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

  2. Oncology: Oncologists use it to study various types of cancers. They can access images from different stages of cancer which aids them in understanding the progression of the disease.

  3. Neurology: Neurologists use it to study various neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease etc., by analyzing brain scans available in the archive.

  4. Pathology: Pathologists use it for studying disease processes and analyzing tissue samples from patients with various diseases.

  5. Clinical Trials: The NBIA is also used extensively in clinical trials where imaging plays a crucial role. Researchers can share their findings with others around the world which promotes collaborative studies.

  6. Machine Learning/AI Research: The large collection of biomedical images also serves as a valuable resource for researchers working on developing machine learning algorithms for image recognition and diagnosis purposes.