=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=None
|storemode=property
|title=The ontological challenge of laterality
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-897/poster_8.pdf
|volume=Vol-897
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/icbo/Niggemann12
}}
==The ontological challenge of laterality==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-897/poster_8.pdf
The ontological challenge of laterality
Jörg Niggemann
CompuGROUP Medical AG, Koblenz, Germany
1 ABSTRACT 4 THREE LAYERS OF CONCEPTS
The concept of laterality is not sufficiently solved in onto- A pragmatic approach is to divide the anatomical knowl-
logical systems, because the information “X is a paired edge base into three layers.
structure” refers to the existence of the subconcepts “left X” 1. “Types” –non-instantiable concepts like ORGAN.
and “right X”. We propose three layers, such that classic 2. “Abstract Objects” – non-instantiable concepts of
ontology is valid in each layer and the relations between the which the information ‘paired’ or ‘singular’ is
layers are well defined. meaningful, like HAND (best thought of as mental
abstractions).
2 INTRODUCTION 3. “Concrete Objects” – can be used to e.g. annotate
A modern hospital information system should offer intelli- an anatomical atlas, they are the instantiable ‘left’
gent choices when the user wants to select an anatomical and ‘right’ incarnations of the abstract objects in
location. For the measurement of intra-arterial blood pres- layer 2.
sure, for example, the primary choice should be like Layers 2 and 3 contain the same information. The concepts
ABDOMINAL AORTA, RENAL ARTERY, THORACIC AORTA …. And only
PAIRED STRUCTURE and SINGULAR STRUCTURE in Layer 2 govern
when the user chooses RENAL ARTERY an additional choice of the structure of Layer 3 – they can therefore be called
LEFT/RIGHT is shown – not when he chooses ABDOMINAL AORTA. ‘Structure classes’.
Also, it would not be acceptable if the system shows RENAL There are regular is-a relations within Layer 1 (FLAT BONE is-
ARTERY, RIGHT RENAL ARTERY, LEFT RENAL ARTERY parallel in one a BONE), between Layer 2 and Layer 1 (HAND is-a BODY PART)
menu. Handling of laterality in the FMA: The Founda- and between Layer 3 and Layer 1 (LEFT HAND is-a BODY PART).
tional Model of Anatomy (FMA) (University of Washing- Relations between Layer 3 and Layer 2 can be called is-
ton, 2012) does not list the renal arteries as parts/branches of lateral-incarnation-of (LEFT HAND is-lateral-incarnation-of
the AORTA, so lets use the INFERIOR PHRENIC ARTERY as an ex- HAND), then it can be defined which properties and relations
ample when looking at the FMA. There, all three: INFERIOR can be inherited along this relation and which not.
PHRENIC ARTERY and its subconcepts LEFT INFERIOR PHRENIC Relations between objects are meaningful in Layer2 (ARM
ARTERY and RIGHT INFERIOR PHRENIC ARTERY are listed equally as has-part HAND) and correspond to relations in Layer3 (LEFT
ARM has-part LEFT HAND). An additional challenge are the
parts/branches of the ABDOMINAL AORTA, without difference.
So, a dynamic GUI generator can not rely directly on the cross-side relations in Neuroanatomy (see also Niggemann
FMA for anatomical information. et al., 2008). By the way: Other ‘repeated’ objects like fin-
gers (of one hand), although they are similar, can not be
3 PAIRED STRUCTURES described by this approach – they are not symmetrical to
each other. Their similarity is best described by a standard
In general, it seems that the topic of laterality is still not suf-
base class (“Finger”).
ficiently solved in ontological systems. In human language,
things seem easy. Everybody would agree to the following
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
statements:
The author thanks his employer for the consent to publish-
(1) “RENAL ARTERY is-a ARTERY” ing. This article solely represents the opinion of the author,
(2) “RENAL ARTERY is a PAIRED STRUCTURE” not necessarily that of his employer.
(3) “LEFT RENAL ARTERY is-a RENAL ARTERY”
REFERENCES
Obviously, is-a can not be understood as a transitive relation
University of Washington. Foundational Model Explorer.[Online].(2012)
in this context. These seem to be three different is-a rela- [cited Apr 2012]. Available from:
tions. “PAIRED STRUCTURE” seems to be a mental concept URL:http://fme.biostr.washington.edu/FME/index.html
which refers to the existence of RIGHT and LEFT concepts: Niggemann JM, Gebert A and Schulz S. (2008). Modeling functional
(4) “Every concept which is-a PAIRED STRUCTURE has two neuroanatomy for an anatomy information system. J Am Med Inform
incarnations: a right and a left copy of itself”. Assoc., 15(5), 671-678
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