WikiMeSH: Multi Lingual MeSH Translations via Wikipedia

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2022 May 25:294:403-404. doi: 10.3233/SHTI220483.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper is to propose an extended translation of the MeSH thesaurus based on Wikipedia pages.

Methods: A mapping was realized between each MeSH descriptor (preferred terms and synonyms) and corresponding Wikipedia pages.

Results: A tool called "WikiMeSH" has been developed. Among the top 20 languages of this study, seven have currently no MeSH translations: Arabic, Catalan, Farsi (Iran), Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Serbian, and Ukrainian. For these seven languages, WikiMeSH is proposing a translation for 47% for Arabic to 34% for Serbian.

Conclusion: WikiMeSH is an interesting tool to translate the MeSH thesaurus and other health terminologies and ontologies based on a mapping to Wikipedia pages.

Keywords: MeSH; Wikipedia; translating.

MeSH terms

  • Language
  • Medical Subject Headings*
  • Translating*
  • Translations
  • Vocabulary, Controlled