Scientific Image Databases

Quick links

Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems(CenSSIS) Image Database
"The CenSSIS Image Database is a scientific database that enables effective data management and collaboration to accelerate fundamental research. The system incorporates efficient searching and complex relational query capabilities." The database is essential in addressing the challenges faced by researchers when trying to collaborate with other projects. The geographical separation between projects and the mass amounts of data from each project make sharing information nearly impossible and inefficient. This centralized database system stores, organizes, and retrieves subsurface imaging data to address those challenges.
Opinion: This database is very easy to use and filled with information. Registration is open to the public, but not all the information contained in the database is open to the public for security reasons. The researcher has full control of who can view the data.

Shelby County Hazard Mapping Project
"The Shelby County database has provided a unique opportunity for collaborative research between Center for Earthquake Research and Information, and the United States Geological Survey, and the Ground Water Institute. The database enhances a better understanding of those features which make geology in the area unique. This subsurface database contains information about geological, geotechnical, and hydrological subsurface properties that is served on the Internet. To use the database, you enter query information, which is sent to the database server, then the query is processed, and an image displaying the results is sent back to you and is viewable in your web browser."
Opinion: This database is user-friendly and informative. Users are presented with a map of the desired area to investigate and tools that zoom in and out, which allow you to adjust the query area. The database also provides information about the queried area.

National Cancer Institute Image Database
This image database is very informative. It allows you to perform detailed searches for images through advanced searching options. If users are unsure of detailed information, they can also perform general searches and sift through the information and images until they find the correct information. The search results show a sample image as well as detailed information about the data. This database allows you to upload your own images for sharing and collaboration.
Opinion:This database is very similar to the CenSSIS database. It encourages collaboration of data among scientists and is easily searchable. It is also easy to access. A form needs to be filled out, but you create your own username and password that works instantly.

Cell Centered Database
"The National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research has a database to store different types of high resolution 3D light and electron microscopic reconstrctions. It contains structural and protein distribution information derived from confocal, multiphoton and electron microscopy, including correlated microscopy. Many of the datasets are derived from electron tomography." This database is publicly accessible and allows for more analysis to be done on the uploaded images.
Opinion: This database is a useful tool in collaborative data. A distinction between this database and the CenSSIS database is that the Cell Centered Database allows public access to all the information and images, while the CenSSIS database has security options that allows the researcher to decide who can view the data.

European Computerized Human Brain Database
"This database is a 3D computerized database for relating function to microstructure of the cerebral cortex of humans. In the standard brain format researchers can directly compare the localization and extent of the functional activations with the microstructure of the cortex. Everybody who submits data gets access to the database. Data can be labeled confidential if you do not want it to be available to anyone searching the database."
Opinion: I was unable to get access to this database because you have to apply for an account and download software. This does seem like a very detailed, informative, and sophisticated database.

Center for Medical Informatics and Health Telematics Applications
"This website provides descriptions of many databases used for various reasons in the medical field. Examples of databases found on this website are IMACS for the acquisition, management, and communication of medical images, ICU for monitoring vital signs in the Intensive care Unit, and PHCCIS for the electronic storage and management of patient records in primary healthcare centers."
Opinion: Although these databases are not available to search, the information and descriptions about the features of the databases are very useful.

National Center for Supercomputing Application
"This image database provides easy and fast access to a wide range of scientific data via the Web, facilitating data sharing between science teams and the general public. Science teams can download data files from a large data provider as well as add their own datasets. Users can interactively browse the contents of a file, examine a subset of the data, view a thumbnail of the data, and download the desired subset. Most of the data in this database is Earth Science data, mainly used by NASA."
Opinion: Although I was unable to access this database, the decription seems very similar to the CenSSIS Image Database. I was unable to access the database because I could not find a link to it. I am not sure if this is a proposal or a database that really exists.

Scientific Image Database
The setup of this database is very similar to that of the CenSSIS database. It stores 2-D and 3-D images in a central directory. Users of the system are subdivided in groups, and whoever owns an image can determine who else on the system is allowed to view and use the image. Entering meta-data is facilitated by user-definable templates. It is a useful tool in collaboration among scientists.
Opinion: This database is very informative and has a similar setup to the CenSSIS database. I was able to sign on the database as a guest, but I am sure that my ability to thoroughly search the database was limited because most projects have restrictions on the people who can view their data.

Laboratory Imaging Ltd. Eclipse Net
"This extensive database allows you to store, manage, retrieve, and exchange digitized images with associated information. Grid, thumbnail, and detail views are prepared for viewing and browsing database images. There is also a grouping of images option according to database information. Various rights and user permissions can be assigned to database users."
Opinion: This database is user-friendly and includes a lot of options. I was able to access the database easily.

Kyushu Medical Image Database
This image database is open to the public. There is no login process. The database holds a lot of medical information and images. Once you enter the database, you can search for images based on a set of criteria making the search as focused or general as the user wants. When searching for an image, the results are displayed as thumbnail images, which is similar to the setup of the CenSSIS database.

MedPix Medical Image Database
"MedPix is a fully web-enabled and cross-platformed database, integrating images and textual information. The primary target audience includes physicians, medical students, graduate nursing students and other post-graduate trainees. The material is organized by disease category, disease location(organ system), captions, and by patient profiles. MedPix can be searched through multiple internal image and text search engines."
Opinion: This image database was easy to register for, very extensive and provides a lot of information. It is not a database fit for collaboration; It only allows you to search for information rather than having the option to upload it yourself.

MedBioWorld-Biological Image Databases
This website allows for you to access multiple medical and biological image databases. The databases have a lot of information and are arranged in either list-format, which is most popular, or search format. There is no restriction to access to these databases.

Bristol BioMed Image Archive
This database is comprised of medical, dental, and veterinary images for use in teaching. Subjects can be searched for, and thumbnail images with corresponding subjects are listed. These images can be clicked on to obtain more information on the topic.
Opinion:This is a good resource for medical and biological information, especially if you are looking for images.

Med-Psych Network Database
"This database supplies links to recent news on areas where medecine and psychiatry overlap. It also has collections of medical jokes and cartoons, medical education and training resources, and diet resources. When a search is made, links to FAQ, Forum, News, and Web links are displayed."
Opinion: This website is useful if you are looking for general medical information and news. The other medical websites are more specific and provide images.

SIMBAD Astronomical Database
This database is searchable, open to the public, and is free. The database contains basic data, such as stars and galaxies, cross identifications of stars and galaxies, observational data, and a general bibliography. The database is being maintained, developed and updated on a daily basis.

SDSS Database
This database is still in the process of being constructed. "The goal of the SDSS is to image all objects brighter than 23rd magnitude in 1/4 of the sky, roughly the area of the North Galactic Gap, in five different wavelengths of light."

Glacier Image Database
The database is divided into six groups of images, each under a different subject. The six subjects are Erosion, Subglacial, Superglacial, Ice-margin, Glacial lakes, and Proglacial. Within each topic, individual examples are organized into sub-topics, which are Process, Deposit/Feature and Landform.
Opinion: This database is very easy to use and self-explanatory. The thumbnail pictures can be made larger to get a closer look. This is a very basic database.

Information on Insects and Plant Diseases
This searchable database holds a lot of information on insects and plant diseases. It is also possible to request a Digital Diagnosis to your problem by filling out a form online.
Opinion: This database is open for anyone to use. It is a good source of information rather than images and is easily searchable as a search engine would be.

Cities and Buildings Database
"This database is a collection of digitized images of buildings and cities drawn from across time and throughout the world, available to students, researchers, and educators on the web. These images are freely available to anyone with access to the Web."
Opinion: This database can be searched through simply with keywords to identify the building you are looking for, or images can be seen by entering the city in which you wish to see the buildings.

OCLC First Search
"FirstSearch gives library users instant online access to more than 72 databases, including OCLC WorldCat, OCLC FirstSearch Electronic Collections Online, OCLC ArticleFirst, OCLC PAIS International, OCLC PapersFirst, OCLC ProceedingsFirst, and OCLC Union Lists of Periodicals. It supports research in a wide range of subject areas with well-known bibliographic and full-text databases in addition to ready-reference tools such as directories, almanacs, and encyclopedias."
Opinion: This database seems like a very useful source of information. It is only used in libraries, though, so its availability is limited.

Research Libraries/Online Databases and Indexes
This website provides many searchable databases used as sources of information. There is a wide variety of subjects available on this website.
Opinion:This website is very resourceful and provides many sources of information covering a wide range of subjects.

Vassar College Libraries Digital Image Database Projects
This website allows access to many different databases and archives covering a wide variety of subjects. It is easily searchable, and there is no login requirement.

Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive
Astronomy Picture of the Day produces an image everyday, and stores this image in an archive. The images are listed by date and organized in descending order beginning with the most current image. Each image, which is accompanied by a brief caption, can be viewed by simply clicking on it.
Opinion: This archive has a very simple setup. The images are stored by date. There is no way to search for a particular image type or for a particular date.

If you discover additional image databases that you would like to add to this list, please contact the webmaster.