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

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20 | <strong>SNOMED</strong> CT <strong>Release</strong> <strong>Format</strong> 1 (<strong>RF1</strong>) <strong>Guide</strong> July 2012<br />

component that is a member of the set and may associate some additional information with the referenced<br />

component.<br />

Some types of Reference Set may also be represented by a set of rules referred to as an 'intensional Refset<br />

definition'.<br />

2.1.2.2. Navigation Hierarchies<br />

<strong>SNOMED</strong> CT subtype Relationships provide a logical semantic hierarchy. Often it is possible to view parts<br />

of the terminology and select particular Concepts by navigating through this subtype hierarchy. However,<br />

there are many situations in which the pure subtype hierarchy does not provide an ideal route for navigating<br />

the hierarchy.<br />

Navigation links are used to provide an alternative route through parts of the terminology. A navigation link<br />

can link any two Concepts together to identify a useful route for navigation. Each of the navigation links is<br />

directional, linking a navigational parent Concept to a more refined navigational child Concept. However,<br />

unlike the subtype relationship the presence or absence of a navigation link neither adds to nor subtracts<br />

from the definition of either of the Concepts that it links.<br />

Some Concepts may exist only to provide nodes in a navigation hierarchy. These Concepts are subtypes of<br />

|Navigational Concept | and play no part in the semantic definitions of any other Concept.<br />

2.1.2.2.1. Uses of Navigational Hierarchies<br />

2.1.2.2.1.1. Breaking down a subtype into manageable categories<br />

Some Concepts have a large number of subtype children that cannot be logically divided into intermediate<br />

subtypes. At the user interface these result in long lists of options, which are difficult to visualize and navigate.<br />

Navigational Concepts with appropriate navigational links to the supertype parent and its subtype children<br />

provide an intermediate layer without disrupting the semantic definitions.<br />

The | clinical finding | top-level Concept has a large number of subtype children. Intermediate navigation<br />

Concepts group some of these together in a convenient way.<br />

Example:<br />

Three subtypes related to pregnancy are grouped together under a single natural navigational Concept:<br />

• Disorder of pregnancy / labor / delivery / puerperium [navigation concept];<br />

• Disorder of pregnancy;<br />

• Disorder of labor / delivery;<br />

• Disorder of puerperium.<br />

2.1.2.2.1.2. Bypassing levels in the subtype hierarchy<br />

Some Concepts that are members of the same rational set of choices may be found at different levels in the<br />

subtype hierarchy. This may occur because some have intervening subtypes and some of these intervening<br />

concepts may not be required for data entry. Addition of new concepts in a release may change the concepts<br />

available at some levels in the subtype hierarchy. Navigation links can "bypass" levels in the subtype hierarchy<br />

to represent a rational sets of choices for use in a particular situation.<br />

Example:<br />

While it is semantically correct to nest | common cold | in the following subtype hierarchy, a user may<br />

reasonably expect to see "common cold" as an immediate navigational child of | upper respiratory<br />

infection |.<br />

• | upper respiratory infection |<br />

• | Viral upper respiratory tract infection |<br />

• | common cold |<br />

© 2002-2012 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation CVR #: 30363434

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