Part of Architecture pattern for connected medical devices - Genomics Pillar
The 5 pillars of medical diagnostics
Diagnostic medical devices are devices used to identify the nature or cause of a certain phenomenon, usually related to a medical condition. Examples of diagnostic devices are magnetic resonance imaging apparatuses, temperature sensors or pacemakers.
There are five pillars of diagnostics recognised within the NHS:
- Imaging
- Endoscopy
- Pathology
- Physiological Measurement
- Genomics
They are categories which are partly clinical and partly organisational, and below is a short description of the basic functionality provided by the connected medical devices found in each category.
| Pillar | Description |
|---|---|
| Imaging | Medical imaging uses different technologies to view the human body in order to diagnose, monitor, or treat medical conditions. Each type of technology gives different info about the area of the body being studied. Each type works slightly differently to create images of what’s going on inside the body. Common types include:
|
| Endoscopy |
An endoscope is a medical device with a light attached. It is used to look inside a body cavity or organ. The scope is inserted through a natural opening, such as:
|
| Pathology | Pathology refers to the study of the causes and diagnosis of diseases by examination of surgically removed organs, tissues (biopsy samples), bodily fluids and in some cases the whole body (autopsy). |
| Physiological Measurements | Any of a set of instruments that convey precise information about an individual's bodily functions, such as heart rate, skin conductance, skin temperature, cortisol level, palmar sweat, and eye tracking. These are used mainly for diagnostics. |
| Genomics | Genomics, the study of genes, is making it possible to predict, diagnose, and treat diseases more precisely and personally than ever. Functional genomic studies frequently rely on high-throughput technologies such as microarrays (animation produced by McGraw-Hill Companies) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS). |
Table 1: The 5 pillars of medical diagnostics
The focus of this guidance is the network segmentation of the components identified in the Genomics Diagnostics Pillar.
Last edited: 20 September 2023 3:34 pm