Testing Tools

IHE has developed a growing body of software tools to facilitate testing and the implementation of IHE Integration Profiles in healthcare information technology systems. These tools are available for download and licensed by their developers for free use. The links below point to sources with further information and direct access to download the tools.

A Profile-by-Profile Index to the Pre-Connectathon Test Software is available here

A more general list of useful tools and tool kits, many of which are used for different aspects of IHE testing, was assembled by IHE-Europe as part of the HITCH project.


Gazelle

Developer: IHE Catalyst

URL: http://gazelle.ihe.net/

Contact: IHE Catalyst

Licensing: Open Source (with attribution requirement)

Development Platform: JBoss/Seam

Delivery Method: Web portal

Description: Gazelle is the main testing management tool used for IHE Connectathons.

Profiles and Constructs: All IHE Profiles


MESA 

Developer: Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University

URL: http://ihedoc.wustl.edu/mesasoftware/11.11.0/dist/index.htm

Licensing: Open Source (with attribution requirement)

Development Platform: C++/PERL/Java

Delivery Method: Application/server/command line

Description: MESA is a legacy part of the IHE test tools. Version 11.11.0 was the latest public release to support testing during the 2007-2008 annual testing cycle. MESA has been developed at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at Washington University in St. Louis.


Gazelle Test Management Tool 

Developer: INRIA

URL: http://wiki.ihe.net/index.php?title=INRIA_Gforge_Implementation_Material 

Contact: Eric Poiseau

Licensing: Apache 2

Development Platform: Java, Jboss

Delivery Method: Web application

Description: Test management software for Connectathons and Projectathons that includes facilities for integrating test simulators and use of proxies.

Profiles Tested: Manages testing of all Profiles. Simulators for individual Profiles are being added over time.


HL7 V2 Toolkit

Developer: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

URL: http://hl7v2tools.nist.gov/

Licensing: Public domain

Development Platform: Java

Delivery Method: Java API, Web services, Desktop application, Web application

Description: NIST has developed a set of tools, focusing mainly on Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) and related Integration Profiles.


EVS Message Validation Toolkit 

Developer: INRIA

URL: http://gazelle.ihe.net/EVSClient/

Contact: Eric Poiseau

Licensing: Apache 2.0

Development Platform: Java

Delivery Method: Java API, Web services, Web application

Description: INRIA developed for IHE Europe, HL7 V2 message Profiles for all the HL7 V2 messages defined within IHE. More than 150 Profiles are now available for download. The EVSClient is a Web application that can be used to call the Gazelle External Validation Services. The tool allows users to call the EVS defined by NIST and INRIA for the validation of Dicom, HL7V2, HL7V3, SAML assertions, audit messages and CDA documents.

Profiles and Constructs: All Profiles that use HL7 V2 messages, HL7 V3 messages, SAML assertions, audit messages, CDA documents and Dicom objects


XDS Toolkit

Developer: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

URL: http://ihexds.nist.gov

Contact: Bill Majurski (bill_AT_nist_._gov)

Licensing: Public domain

Development Platform: Java

Delivery Method: Java API, Web Services, Desktop application, Web application

Description: NIST has developed a set of tools, focusing on Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS) and related Integration Profiles.

Profiles and Constructs: XDS.b, XCA, Metadata update, MPQ, XDR, XDM


DICOMScope Visualisation Tools (MESA Tools for Consistent Presentation of Images) 

Developer: O-Tech, Kuratorium OFFIS, e. V. and the Institute for Microtherapy

URL: http://dicom.offis.de/dscope.php.en , Latest binary package: ftp://dicom.offis.de/pub/dicom/offis/software/mesa_cpi/release_2004/

Contact: OFFIS DICOM discussion forum [1]

Licensing: Free (BSD) with disclaimer: not for clinical use

Development Platform: primarily Windows, but can be compiled on Linux and Solaris as well

Delivery Method: Download Desktop application (Windows installer)

Description: DICOMscope is a free DICOM viewer which can display uncompressed, monochrome DICOM images from all modalities and which supports monitor calibration according to DICOM part 14 as well as presentation states. DICOMscope and the various DICOMscope support tools can be used to test all CPI actors, both softcopy and hardcopy.

Profiles Tested: Consistent Presentation of Images (CPI), also for Secure Node/Secure Application actors.
 


Portable Data for Imaging Disk Validator

Developer: Northwestern University

URL: http://ihedoc.wustl.edu/mesasoftware/11.11.0/dist/index.htm

Contact: Pat Mongkolwat, Northwestern University

Licensing: Public domain

Development Platform: C#

Delivery Method: Download Windows installer

Description: IHE Portable Data for Imaging (PDI) Media Creator test application is implemented based on the IHE Technical Framework volume I chapter 15 and volume III Appendix E, revision 6. The PDI media tester software is easy to use and provides sufficient information of any IHE PDI compliance violations.

Profiles Tested: Portable Data for Imaging (PDI)
 


IHE-RO Test Tools 

Developer: ICT Embedded BV, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

URL: http://www.dvtk.org/modules/wiwimod/index.php?page=IHE+Downloads&cmenu=downloads

Licensing: Public domain

Development Platform: DICOM Validation Tool Kit (DVTK)

Delivery Method: DVTK Definition files/reference data/test cases

Description: The IHE-RO Test Tools are based on the DVTK platform (www.DVTK.org) and developed under contract to ASTRO by ICT Embedded, BV, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The first release of these tools, supporting the IHE-RO Basic Integration Profile, was published in January, 2008. Additional tools to support 2008 IHE-RO Profiles are currently being developed.

Profiles and Constructs: IHE-RO Basic Integration Profile