HL7 FHIR Implementation Guide: minimal Common Oncology Data Elements (mCODE) Release 1 - US Realm | STU Ballot 1

This page is part of the HL7 FHIR Implementation Guide: minimal Common Oncology Data Elements (mCODE) Release 1 - US Realm | STU1 (v0.9.1: STU 1 Ballot 1) based on FHIR R4. The current version which supercedes this version is 2.0.0. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions

Laterality

Definitions for obf-datatype-Laterality-extension.

1. Extension
Definition

Body side of the body location, if needed to distinguish from a similar location on the other side of the body.

The laterality element is part of BodyLocation, a flexible structure that allows the location to be determined by a single code, or a code plus laterality and/or orientation. The body location can also be specified in relation to one or more body landmarks. SNOMED CT is used in all cases.

  • Code only: The code should include (precoordinate) laterality and/orientation to the degree necessary to completely specify the body location.
  • Code plus laterality and/or orientation: The basic code augmented by codes specifying the body side and/or anatomical orientation.
  • Relation to landmark: The location relative to a landmark is specified by:
  1. Establishing the location and type of landmark using a body site code and optional laterality/orientation, and
  2. Specifying the direction and distance from the landmark to the body location.

Note that BodyLocation is a data type (a reusable structure), not a stand-alone entity. The concept is similar to how a postal address can apply to a person, location, or organization. This contrasts with FHIR's stand-alone BodySite (aka BodyStructure in r4) which 'is not ... intended for describing the type of anatomical location but rather a specific body site on a specific patient' (FHIR 3.5).

Control0..* This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
2. Extension.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
3. Extension.extension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

Control0..0
TypeExtension
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

4. Extension.url
Definition

Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.

Control1..1
Typeuri
Comments

The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.

Fixed Valuehttp://hl7.org/fhir/us/mcode/StructureDefinition/obf-datatype-Laterality-extension
5. Extension.valueCodeableConcept
Definition

Value of extension - must be one of a constrained set of the data types (see Extensibility for a list).

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from Laterality; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable
TypeCodeableConcept