Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System
In recent years, many researchers have focused on developing a feasible solution for storing and exchanging medical images in the field of health care. Current practices are deployed on cloud-based centralized data centers, which increase maintenance costs, require massive storage space, and raise p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/1/196 |
| _version_ | 1797543373324681216 |
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| author | Mohamed Yaseen Jabarulla Heung-No Lee |
| author_facet | Mohamed Yaseen Jabarulla Heung-No Lee |
| author_sort | Mohamed Yaseen Jabarulla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, many researchers have focused on developing a feasible solution for storing and exchanging medical images in the field of health care. Current practices are deployed on cloud-based centralized data centers, which increase maintenance costs, require massive storage space, and raise privacy concerns about sharing information over a network. Therefore, it is important to design a framework to enable sharing and storing of big medical data efficiently within a trustless environment. In the present paper, we propose a novel proof-of-concept design for a distributed patient-centric image management (PCIM) system that is aimed to ensure safety and control of patient private data without using a centralized infrastructure. In this system, we employed an emerging Ethereum blockchain and a distributed file system technology called Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS). Then, we implemented an Ethereum smart contract called the patient-centric access control protocol to enable a distributed and trustworthy access control policy. IPFS provides the means for decentralized storage of medical images with global accessibility. We describe how the PCIM system architecture facilitates the distributed and secured patient-centric data access across multiple entities such as hospitals, patients, and image requestors. Finally, we deployed a smart contract prototype on an Ethereum testnet blockchain and evaluated the proposed framework within the Windows environment. The evaluation results demonstrated that the proposed scheme is efficient and feasible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:43:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c0cfdeb71c7467084312fedd6d945cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:43:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c0cfdeb71c7467084312fedd6d945cc2023-11-21T02:46:53ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-12-0111119610.3390/app11010196Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management SystemMohamed Yaseen Jabarulla0Heung-No Lee1School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, KoreaSchool of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, KoreaIn recent years, many researchers have focused on developing a feasible solution for storing and exchanging medical images in the field of health care. Current practices are deployed on cloud-based centralized data centers, which increase maintenance costs, require massive storage space, and raise privacy concerns about sharing information over a network. Therefore, it is important to design a framework to enable sharing and storing of big medical data efficiently within a trustless environment. In the present paper, we propose a novel proof-of-concept design for a distributed patient-centric image management (PCIM) system that is aimed to ensure safety and control of patient private data without using a centralized infrastructure. In this system, we employed an emerging Ethereum blockchain and a distributed file system technology called Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS). Then, we implemented an Ethereum smart contract called the patient-centric access control protocol to enable a distributed and trustworthy access control policy. IPFS provides the means for decentralized storage of medical images with global accessibility. We describe how the PCIM system architecture facilitates the distributed and secured patient-centric data access across multiple entities such as hospitals, patients, and image requestors. Finally, we deployed a smart contract prototype on an Ethereum testnet blockchain and evaluated the proposed framework within the Windows environment. The evaluation results demonstrated that the proposed scheme is efficient and feasible.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/1/196blockchaindistributed storagemedical image sharinghealthcare systemsmart contractIPFS |
| spellingShingle | Mohamed Yaseen Jabarulla Heung-No Lee Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System Applied Sciences blockchain distributed storage medical image sharing healthcare system smart contract IPFS |
| title | Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System |
| title_full | Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System |
| title_fullStr | Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System |
| title_short | Blockchain-Based Distributed Patient-Centric Image Management System |
| title_sort | blockchain based distributed patient centric image management system |
| topic | blockchain distributed storage medical image sharing healthcare system smart contract IPFS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/1/196 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohamedyaseenjabarulla blockchainbaseddistributedpatientcentricimagemanagementsystem AT heungnolee blockchainbaseddistributedpatientcentricimagemanagementsystem |