Patients have a right to privacy that should not be violated without informed consent. Identifying information, including names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. Authors should disclose to these patients whether any potential identifiable material might be available via internet as well as in print after publication. Nonessential identifying details should be omitted.

The Ci-STEM Journal of Digital Technologies and Expert Systems decides that patient confidentiality is better guarded by having the authors archive the consent, and instead providing us with a written statement in the manuscript attesting that they have received and archived written patient consent. When informed consent has been obtained, it should be indicated later in the published article.