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SNOMED CT® Release Format 1 (RF1) Guide - ihtsdo

SNOMED CT® Release Format 1 (RF1) Guide - ihtsdo

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Chapter<br />

2<br />

Structure and Content <strong>Guide</strong><br />

This part of the guide covers the features of <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT that need to be understood by those implementing<br />

<strong>SNOMED</strong> CT in software applications. These features include the components, derivatives and supporting<br />

materials that are distributed as part of each <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT <strong>Release</strong>. In addition, the guide addresses the<br />

ways in which these components may be referenced to represent instances of clinical information in clinical<br />

records and other types of instance data.<br />

2.1. <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT Technical Overview<br />

This section provides an overview of the components and derivatives that form part of a <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT release<br />

as well as several other topics that relate to the use of <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT to represent instances of clinical<br />

information.<br />

These topics are explored in more depth by other sections in this part of the guide:<br />

• Logical Abstract Models (2.2);<br />

• Representational Forms (2.3).<br />

More detailed information about technical design and content is provided in other parts of the guide:<br />

• <strong>Release</strong> File Specifications;<br />

• Concept Model <strong>Guide</strong>.<br />

2.1.1. Components<br />

This section summarizes the essential components of <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT (concepts, descriptions and relationships).<br />

A <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT enabled implementation must be able to process and make appropriate use of these<br />

components, which are distributed as a set of <strong>Release</strong> Files.<br />

2.1.1.1. Concepts<br />

A <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT Concept is a clinical idea to which a unique <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT identifier has been assigned.<br />

Each Concept is associated with:<br />

• A unique human-readable Fully Specified Name (FSN), which specifies the meaning represented by the<br />

Concept.<br />

• A set of other Descriptions, each of which represents the same Concept using a different human-readable<br />

term. These Descriptions support alternative representations such as synonyms and translations into<br />

different languages.<br />

• A set of Relationships to other Concepts which provide a logical definition of the Concept that can be<br />

processed by a computer.<br />

© 2002-2012 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation CVR #: 30363434<br />

Structure and Content <strong>Guide</strong> | 11

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