A radiology hypertext system for education and clinical decision making

Hypertext is a computer-based means of organizing information that allows one to explore the connections among related subjects. FACT/FILE is a hypertext computer system that provides access to a wide variety of information of interest to radiologists and radiology residents. Information is presented as notecards, or frames, which can contain textual information about relevant anatomy, physiology and pathology, as well as differential diagnosis "gamut" listings. More than 800 frames are available. Users can choose frames from an alphabetical index produced automatically from key words in each frame's title, or from a hierarchically organized subject index. Links between frames allow users to explore related frames and then return to the original frame. Physicians can add new frames to the system, so that specialized knowledge can be shared. This system has been implemented as a module of the radiology information system at the University of Chicago Medical Center.