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

SctId
999999990989121104
2.3.2.9. The Namespace hierarchy
Partition identifier
10= Concept, using long
format
Check digit
4
Notes
The maximum valid SctId
for a Concept in the
0989121 namespace.
SNOMED CT core release files include metadata Concepts that represent each of the allocated
namespace-identifiers.The Concepts representing the namespaces are arranged in a single parent hierarchy,
as follows:
• 370136006 | Namespace concept |
• 373872000 | Core Namespace |
• | Extension Namespace A {} |
• | Extension Namespace B {} |
• | Extension Namespace D {} |
• | Extension Namespace E {} |
• | Extension Namespace C {} |
Figure 30: Hierarchy for: Namespace concept (namespace concept)
In the above hierarchy,| Extension Namespace A {} |, | Extension Namespace B {} | and | Extension Namespace
C {} | are all child namespaces of the 373872000 | Core Namespace | (representing the International edition
which does not have a namespace-identifier, and uses short format SCTIDs to identify components). Also, |
Extension Namespace B {} | is the parent namespace of | Extension Namespace D {} | and | Extension
Namespace E {} | .
Each Namespace concept may only have one parent Namespace concept in the 370136006 | Namespace
concept | sub-hierarchy.
The namespace hierarchy is used to constrain which content can be promoted from one Extension to another
without amending the SCTID. Content may be moved (without amendment of SCTID) from an Extension
released by the owner of a child namespace to an Extension released by the owner of a parent (or ancestor)
namespace, as described by the |370136006 | Namespace concept | sub-hierarchy.
Examples:
1. A concept with an SCTID that includes | Extension Namespace D {} | may be moved to the Extension
maintained by the owner of | Extension Namespace B {} | without changing its SCTID, because this
is a parent of the originating namespace.
2. A concept with an SCTID that includes | Extension Namespace D {} | must not be moved to the
Extension maintained by the owner of | Extension Namespace C {} | because this is not parent (or
ancestor) of the originating namespace. Therefore, to make this move the original concept must be
inactivated and replaced by a new component with a new SCTID in target namespace.
3. Any concept may be moved from any Extension to the International Release (subject only to formal
acceptance that is a valid addition for international use).
Namespace concepts have the following characteristics:
Structure and Content Guide | 67
• They are subtypes (either children or descendants) of 370136006 | Namespace concept |.
• The Fully Specified Name of each Concept has the form “ Extension Namespace {nnnnnnn} (namespace
concept)” – where nnnnnnn is the seven digit Namespace-Identifier.
© 2002-2012 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation CVR #: 30363434