There are many ways to use the LMD series in clinical practice. The databases act as both an aid to diagnosis and as a reference source for the experienced clinician who is able to assess the important features of a case.

Using a custom-designed Windows software interface, the program allows the user to access and display data in a variety of ways. Rapid and flexible search facilities can be used to interrogate the data, which is regularly updated and supplied to users on a subscription basis. Updating has been continuous since the mid-1980s, using extensive reference research covering hundreds of journals and online resources. New syndromes are added, previously reported conditions are refined, new case reports and the latest genetic information added.

Click on the thumbnails below to see larger (800 x600 pixels) images of the LMD software interface.

Syndrome list	Abstract and syndrome details	Feature list	Feature search function
Reference list	Image thumbnails	Image display and caption	Reference search screen

All databases have a detailed record for each syndrome with the following information:

Syndrome name and commonly used synonyms
Chromosomal location (if known)
McKusick/OMIM number (linking directly to OMIM)
Gene symbol
Inheritance pattern
Detailed abstract summarising the literature and findings to date
Comprehensive feature list
Reference list
Photographs from the literature and/or the authors' own collections where available.

The Photo Library is integrated with each database, offering over 12500 images that illustrate syndrome features for the Dysmorphology and Neurogenetics databases. For GENEEYE, over 4500 images are provided as an integral part of the data set. The abstracts provide a compact but informative and up to date review of the syndrome.

Using the LMD software you can:

• Browse syndromes and references alphabetically.

• Display individual syndrome records containing abstracts, features, references, and photographs (if available), chromosomal location, inheritance pattern and McKusick number.

• Search for syndromes using user selected combination of clinical features and/or any of the above data types.

• Search references by combinations of author, title, journal, syndrome and date of publication.

• Import your own patient photographs.

• Create collections of photographs of particular interest - images either from the Photo Library or your own sources.

• Create lists of selected syndromes or references for further study.

• Print syndromes and references or save them to a separate file.