Finding the findings: identification of findings in medical literature using restricted natural language processing

Proc AMIA Annu Fall Symp. 1996:239-43.

Abstract

The ability to search the biomedical literature based on findings would provide enhanced access to information. We describe a computer program called FINDX which relies on the UMLS Metathesuaurus and restricted natural language processing to identify findings in free text. Such identification can serve as a filtering mechanism while selecting relevant papers. After discussing the salient characteristics of findings on which FINDX depends, we report on the results of an experiment in which we tested the program on a set of MEDLINE abstracts pertaining to the diagnosis of Parkinson Disease.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Information Storage and Retrieval*
  • MEDLINE
  • Natural Language Processing*
  • Parkinson Disease / diagnosis
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology
  • Software*
  • Unified Medical Language System