To "prepare a piece" for an RIS viewer —most commonly referring to bibliometric analysis tools like
—you need to organize bibliographic data into a specific file format ( ) that these viewers can read. 1. Data Collection & Formatting
The "piece" you are preparing is typically a collection of research articles from databases like Web of Science
: Run your query on your chosen database to gather the relevant research papers. Export as RIS : Look for an "Export" or "Save" button and select RIS format
(Research Information Systems). This format includes tags like (Author), and (Publication Year). 2. Cleaning the Data (Optional but Recommended) ris viewer
For a high-quality visualization, you should clean the data to remove duplicates before opening it in a viewer: Import to Zotero/EndNote : Open your reference manager and import the RIS files. Merge Duplicates : Use tools like the Zotero Duplicate Items feature to find and merge identical entries. Standardize Names
: Ensure author names or keywords are consistent (e.g., "AI" and "Artificial Intelligence" should be the same) to avoid split nodes in your viewer. 3. Loading into the Viewer Once your RIS file is clean and exported: Open your viewer (e.g., and choose "Create a map based on bibliographic data". Choose the option to Read data from reference manager files Upload your
file and follow the prompts to choose your analysis type (e.g., co-authorship or keyword co-occurrence). Note on GIS: If you are referring to the ArcGIS Indoor Viewer
Selecting a RIS viewer is a significant investment. Before signing a contract, ask these practical questions: To "prepare a piece" for an RIS viewer
1. Is it web-based (zero-footprint) or client-based? Zero-footprint HTML5 viewers run in a web browser; no software installation is required on each computer. This is ideal for multi-site practices and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) environments. Client-based viewers are typically faster for heavy 3D rendering but require IT maintenance.
2. Does it support your modalities? If you run a breast imaging center, you need a RIS viewer with full mammography (MG) and tomosynthesis (DBT) support, including hanging protocol automation. General purpose viewers often fail here.
3. What is the uptime guarantee? Look for a Service Level Agreement (SLA) promising 99.9% uptime or higher. Radiology is an emergency service—downtime costs lives and revenue.
4. HL7 and FHIR compatibility? Ensure the RIS viewer can talk to your hospital’s ADT (Admit, Discharge, Transfer) system and your billing system using modern FHIR APIs. Researchers compiling literature reviews
5. Training and support? Does the vendor provide on-site training for radiologists? Old habits die hard; if the viewer is not intuitive, your team will reject it.
The holy grail of medical IT is interoperability. Referring physicians (e.g., an oncologist or orthopedist) do not want to log into a separate RIS portal. They want to see the radiology report and images inside their existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) , such as Epic, Cerner, or Allscripts.
This is achieved via a RIS viewer embedded through an iframe or API. When the referring doctor opens the patient's chart, a button labeled "View Radiology Images" launches the RIS viewer in a web browser without requiring a second login. This "zero-click" access dramatically improves referring physician satisfaction and ensures that critical findings are not overlooked.
The ability to horizontally tile current and prior exams side-by-side is non-negotiable. Advanced viewers will automatically register (align) the prior study with the current one to highlight changes such as tumor growth or interval healing.
.wld, .sdw) to display images with correct map coordinates.A trauma patient arrives. While the patient is being wheeled in, the ED physician pulls up the prior CT on an RIS viewer on a wall-mounted monitor. They don't need to call radiology; they see the old fracture instantly.