The Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) curates a collection of lung CT scans aimed at propelling research in lung cancer detection and diagnosis [1, 2]. Here’s a breakdown of LIDC’s data, collection process, and functionalities:
Data:
- Type: LIDC houses a collection of diagnostic and lung cancer screening thoracic CT scans [1, 2].
- Annotations: These CT scans come with marked-up annotations by experienced thoracic radiologists, specifying lesions (potential abnormalities) identified during analysis [1, 3].
- Size: LIDC boasts a substantial collection, containing CT scans from over 1000 patients [3].
Data Collection:
- Source: The specific details of how LIDC acquires CT scans are not publicly available. However, it likely involves collaboration with medical institutions that perform lung CT scans.
- Focus: The data collection concentrates on CT scans used for both diagnosing lung cancer and screening healthy patients for potential issues.
Research Services:
- Primary Function: LIDC functions as a web-accessible resource specifically designed to aid researchers developing and evaluating computer-assisted diagnostic (CAD) methods for lung cancer detection [1, 2].
- Use Case: By providing a collection of CT scans with expert annotations, researchers can utilize LIDC’s data to train and test their CAD systems, ultimately aiming to improve lung cancer detection accuracy.