MRML is implemented as a type of XML document, with new tags defined to handle medical image data types such as volumes, models, and the coordinate transforms between them.

There are several advantages to building on the XML standard, as opposed to an original format. The World Wide Web has popularized markup languages so that the XML structure is immediately familiar to computer scientists everywhere. There are off-the-shelf XML parsers available in several programming languages. For example, double-clicking an XML file in Windows results in viewing it inside Microsoft Internet Explorer.

MRML files can be organized hierarchically to form a database. Scripts can parse the XML files to navigate the data automatically to perform large-scale batch operations, such as registering thousands of volumes together.

    

What is XML?

XML is the next generation of HTML for use as the document language of the world wide web. While HTML tags data with instructions on how a browser should interpret the data (including images, links, and tables), XML extends this functionality by allowing users to define their own tags.

Here are some helpful links we use in developing MRML: