This documentation covers the OME Data Model, OME-XML and OME-TIFF.
The OME Model is a specification for storing data on biological imaging. The model includes image parameters, such as XYZ dimensions and pixels type, as well as extensive metadata on, for example, image acquisition, annotation, and regions of interest (ROIs). This common specification is essential for the exchange of image data between different software packages. OME-XML is a file format used to store data according to the OME Model, serving as a convenient file format for data migration from one site or user to another. OME-TIFF is a multi-plane tiff file that contains OME metadata in the header, in the form of OME-XML. This allows the pixels to be read with any TIFF-compatible program, and the metadata to be extracted with any OME-aware application. Our paper describing the design and implementation of the OME-XML file appeared in Genome Biology.
The OME consortium currently provides three major tools capable of working with OME-XML and OME-TIFF:
If you have used OME-XML, OME-TIFF, Bio-Formats or OMERO in your work please use the correct citations to acknowledge us.
We have received support from several companies who use our file formats, for details see our list of Partners.
Generated documentation for the current version of the entire Schema is also available.