Generation of pedigree diagrams for web display using scalable vector graphics from a clinical trials database

The standard method of studying inherited disease is to observe its pattern of distribution in families, that is, its pattern in a pedigree. For clinical studies focused on inherited disease, a pedigree diagram is a valuable visual tool for the display of inheritance patterns. We describe the creation of a web-based pedigree display module for Trial/DB, a Web accessible database developed at the Yale Center for Medical Informatics (YCMI) to support clinical research studies. The pedigree diagram is generated dynamically from the database. The icons representing each subject in the pedigree are selectable hyperlinks that will display detailed clinical data collected on the subject. Microsoft Active Server Page and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) are used to create the interactive pedigree diagrams.