# Bridging the gap: integrating Deep Brain Stimulation imaging and clinical data in a unified data management system

Stawiski M.¹, Bucciarelli V.¹, Vogel D.¹, Coste J.², Lemaire JJ.³, Elsas S.⁴, Gschwandtner U.⁵, Fuhr P.⁵, Taub E.⁶, Hemm S.¹

## Introduction

* Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) research faces challenges in managing the heterogeneous data types generated during the patient's journey (e.g. clinical evaluations, medical images).
* This work proposes a framework for enhanced metadata capture leveraging Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS)[1] as standardized file structure and Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap)[2] for validated data collection in hospital settings.
* BIDS and REDCap limitations are overcome through their integration with SQLite, a lightweight relational database management system.

## Materials and Methods

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The system caters to two primary user groups: clinicians and researchers.

### Clinical (non-imaging) data management

* Collection via structured forms within REDCap.
* Transfer into SQLite database

### Imaging data management

* Storage and transfer in the anonymized DICOMDIR format.
* Conversion into the Neuroimaging Informatics Technology Initiative (NIIfTI) format
* Storage in a BIDS-compliant directory structure
* Establishment of image references within the SQLite database

## Results

Data collected by 2 medical institutions with the proposed system was successfully fed to DBS processing pipelines.

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## Discussion and Conclusions

The presented framework enables:

* Data collection and streamlining from clinics to research centers

* Heterogeneous data management and detailed metadata capture

* Data retrieval through a unique interface

It facilitates deeper and more efficient DBS research, potentially leading to improved clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

## Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

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**Contact:**
Marc Jermann
FHNW, IM2, Neuroengineering group
Hofackerstr. 30
4132 Muttenz
marc.jermann@fhnw.ch;
maiden name: Marc Stawiski

**Affiliations:**

¹Institute for Medical Engineering and Medical Informatics, School of Life Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
²Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont Auvergne INP Clermont-Ferrand, France
³Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont Auvergne INP, Institut Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
⁴Clinic Arlesheim, Departments of Neurology and Research, Arlesheim, Switzerland
⁵University Hospital Basel, Department of Neurology, Basel, Switzerland
⁶University Hospital Basel, Department of Neurosurgery, Basel, Switzerland

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Universitätsspital
Basel

**Literature:**

[1] Krzysztof, G., Jean-Baptiste, P., David, K., B, N., Tibor, A., R., C., Guillaume, F., Satrajit, G., Vanessa, S., Ariel, R., Yaroslav, H., Michael, H., Christian, H., Karl, H., Camille, M., Thomas, N., Jessica, T., Samir, D., David, K., & Russell, P. (2015). Brain Imaging Data Structure - a new standard for describing and organizing human neuroimaging data. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 9.
[2] Harris, P. A., Taylor, R., Thielke, R., Payne, J., Gonzalez, N., & Conde, J. G. (2009, April). Research electronic data capture (REDCap)—A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 42(2), 377–381