BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker

Bioinformatics Pipeline Version

Liquid Biopsy жидкостная биопсия cfDNA ctDNA CTC exosomes NGS qPCR
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Utility description: Bioinformatics Pipeline Version

Bioinformatics Pipeline Version Checker — Bioinformatics Pipeline Version Control

ℹ️  Utility performs automatic verification of bioinformatics pipeline software environment according to CAP/CLIA and FDA Guidance on NGS-based Testing:
     • Tools: Reconciliation of aligner, variant caller, and annotator versions with validated manifest.
     • Databases: Control of reference genome and knowledge base versions (ClinVar, COSMIC, gnomAD).
     • Containers: Verification of Docker/Singularity image hashes to guarantee environment identity.
     • Scripts: Verification of custom script versions (Python, R, Bash).

⚠️  IMPORTANT: 
     • Bioinformatics pipeline is a Software as Medical Device (SaMD).
     • Unauthorized update of even minor version may change clinical result.

Usage:
  BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker.exe                            → demo mode (console output)
  BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker.exe input.csv output.json      → evaluate your data

Input format:
RunID,PipelineName,ComponentName,ActualVersion,ValidatedVersion,ComponentType

Example:
  RUN-001,OncoPanel_v3,GATK,4.2.6.1,4.2.6.1,Tool

📍 Scope of Application (Usage Where):
     • Clinical NGS Laboratories: Mandatory check before each pipeline run.
     • Change Control: Documentation of version drift.
     • Audits and Inspections: Proof of in silico analysis reproducibility.
     • CI/CD Pipelines: Automatic gatekeeper before production deployment.

— WHY IS THIS NEEDED?
Unlike "wet" reagents, software changes invisibly.
Automatic version verification eliminates risk of using unvalidated code.
This is fundamental requirement for Data Integrity and Patient Safety in Precision Medicine era.

⚠️  CRITICAL:
• Exact Match: Clinical tests require exact version match, not "compatibility".
• Database Versions: ClinVar update without revalidation may reclassify variants.
• Container Hash: Docker tag version (latest) is insufficient; SHA256 digest needed.
• Audit Trail: Each check must be logged with timestamp and operator ID.

Key features:
• Line-by-line verification of each pipeline component
• Support for various component types (Tool, DB, Script, Container)
• Instant blocking upon mismatch
• Detailed discrepancy report generation
• Compliance with CAP Molecular Pathology Checklist requirements

Critical parameters:
• Actual Version: Must exactly match Validated Version
• Component Coverage: All critical components must be checked
• Database Date: Reference data currency

💡 Usage tips:
1. Manifest: Maintain centralized YAML/JSON manifest of validated versions.
2. Containerization: Use Docker/Singularity to freeze environment.
3. Automation: Integrate checker at start of Nextflow/Snakemake pipeline.
4. Revalidation: Run full revalidation protocol upon version update.
5. Documentation: Save JSON reports as part of audit trail for each run.

⚠️ Note: This utility is a Software Quality Assurance tool. It does not replace functional pipeline validation but guarantees that exactly the validated version is being used.

input.csv

RunID,PipelineName,ComponentName,ActualVersion,ValidatedVersion,ComponentType
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,BWA-MEM,0.7.17-r1188,0.7.17-r1188,Tool
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,GATK,4.2.6.1,4.2.6.1,Tool
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,ClinVar,2026-05-01,2026-05-01,Database
NGS-RUN-2026-002,OncoPanel_v3,Samtools,1.19,1.17,Tool
NGS-RUN-2026-002,OncoPanel_v3,VEP,110,110,Tool

URS & FS — User Requirements and Functional Specification

This document describes the controlled interface and behaviour of BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker for Bioinformatics Pipeline Version Checker.

Domain limits and critical parameters

Key fragments from the source description are shown below. Before production use, limits must be verified against the approved specification, registration dossier and local SOPs.
  • ⚠️ CRITICAL:
  • • Audit Trail: Each check must be logged with timestamp and operator ID.
  • Critical parameters:
  • • Actual Version: Must exactly match Validated Version
  • • Component Coverage: All critical components must be checked

URS — User Requirements Specification

IDRequirementCriticalityAcceptance criterion
URS-001The utility shall accept an input.csv file for Bioinformatics Pipeline Version Checker with headers defined in the data contract.HighThe file is processed without manual header editing.
URS-002The utility shall perform deterministic QC evaluation without machine learning and without probabilistic conformance decisions.HighIdentical input data, rule version and configuration produce reproducible results.
URS-003The utility shall validate mandatory fields, data types, ranges, units and domain plausibility.HighSchema, conversion and range errors are explicitly reported.
URS-004The utility shall apply domain limits and rules from the description, approved specification, registration dossier and local SOPs.HighEach check has PASS/WARNING/FAIL and a clear message.
URS-005The utility shall generate output.json with machine-readable results, source values, warnings, failures and critical findings.HighJSON is suitable for LIMS/ELN/MES integration and QA/QC review.
URS-006The utility shall preserve traceability between batch/sample, input file, applied rules and final status.HighOutput contains identifiers, checked parameters and audit metadata.
URS-007The documentation shall support IQ/OQ/PQ, CSV/CSA and review by internal QA or inspectors.MediumURS, FS, input/output contract and test scenarios are supplied with the utility.
URS-008The utility shall be used as a QC decision-support tool and not as a substitute for approved specifications and QA/QP release decision.MediumDocumentation states change control and limit-verification expectations.

input.csv contract

#FieldTypeSamplePurpose
1RunIDstring / controlled vocabularyNGS-RUN-2026-001Controlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
2PipelineNamestring / controlled vocabularyOncoPanel_v3Controlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
3ComponentNamestring / controlled vocabularyBWA-MEMControlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
4ActualVersionstring / controlled vocabulary0.7.17-r1188Controlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
5ValidatedVersionstring / controlled vocabulary0.7.17-r1188Controlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
6ComponentTypestring / controlled vocabularyToolControlled input parameter for deterministic QC rules.
RunID,PipelineName,ComponentName,ActualVersion,ValidatedVersion,ComponentType
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,BWA-MEM,0.7.17-r1188,0.7.17-r1188,Tool
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,GATK,4.2.6.1,4.2.6.1,Tool
NGS-RUN-2026-001,OncoPanel_v3,ClinVar,2026-05-01,2026-05-01,Database

Input validation rules

IDFieldRuleCriticality
VR-001RunIDThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.High
VR-002PipelineNameThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.High
VR-003ComponentNameThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.High
VR-004ActualVersionThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.Medium
VR-005ValidatedVersionThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.Medium
VR-006ComponentTypeThe field shall match an approved dictionary or accepted string representation.Medium

FS — Functional Specification

IDFunctionImplementation
FS-001CLI executionSupport execution modes: demo mode without arguments and production mode input.csv output.json.
FS-002CSV importRead input.csv in UTF-8/CSV-compatible format and validate header and expected columns.
FS-003Schema validationCheck mandatory fields, column count, unknown key fields and empty mandatory values.
FS-004Type conversionConvert numeric, flag and text values; invalid format is recorded as a row-level error.
FS-005Domain rule engineApply rules for Bioinformatics Pipeline Version Checker, including critical limits from the description and approved specification.
FS-006Status aggregationProduce final status: FAIL for critical failure, WARNING for non-critical deviation, PASS for conformance.
FS-007JSON exportWrite output.json with detailed checks, source values, warnings, failures and critical findings.
FS-008Audit supportKeep result structure suitable for review, deviation investigation and calculation reproduction.
FS-009Integration contractSupport the scenario LIMS/ELN/MES → input.csv → utility → output.json → portal/admin review.
FS-010Error handlingReturn explicit messages for missing file, empty CSV, invalid schema, output write failure and invalid format.

Example output.json

{
  "utilityId": "bioinformaticspipelineversionchecker",
  "utilityFolder": "BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker",
  "package": "LiquidBiopsy",
  "overallStatus": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
  "sourceFile": "input.csv",
  "processedAtUtc": "2026-06-10T00:00:00Z",
  "checks": [
    {
      "parameter": "RunID",
      "value": "NGS-RUN-2026-001",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-001"
    },
    {
      "parameter": "PipelineName",
      "value": "OncoPanel_v3",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-002"
    },
    {
      "parameter": "ComponentName",
      "value": "BWA-MEM",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-003"
    },
    {
      "parameter": "ActualVersion",
      "value": "0.7.17-r1188",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-004"
    },
    {
      "parameter": "ValidatedVersion",
      "value": "0.7.17-r1188",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-005"
    },
    {
      "parameter": "ComponentType",
      "value": "Tool",
      "status": "PASS|WARNING|FAIL",
      "message": "Deterministic rule-based check result",
      "ruleReference": "FS-RULE-006"
    }
  ],
  "criticalFindings": [],
  "warnings": [],
  "audit": {
    "inputHash": "sha256:<calculated at runtime>",
    "rulesVersion": "<utility executable version>",
    "documentation": "BioinformaticsPipelineVersionChecker.documentation.html"
  }
}

Traceability matrix

URSFSTestEvidence
URS-001FS-001, FS-002OQ-001Verify execution and import of valid input.csv.
URS-002FS-005, FS-006OQ-004Repeat the same dataset and compare output.json.
URS-003FS-003, FS-004, FS-010OQ-002, OQ-003Verify missing columns and invalid types.
URS-004FS-005, FS-006OQ-004, PQ-001Verify critical deviations on real/boundary data.
URS-005FS-007, FS-009OQ-005Verify JSON schema and downstream-system suitability.
URS-006FS-008OQ-006Verify identifiers and audit metadata.
URS-007FS-008, FS-010IQ-001, OQ-007Verify documentation completeness and control evidence.
URS-008FS-005, FS-008PQ-002Verify review workflow and no replacement of QA decision.

IQ/OQ/PQ test scenarios

IDScenarioExpected result
IQ-001Verify executable, input.csv, documentation and checksum availability.Delivery set is complete; version is recorded.
OQ-001Valid sample row from input.csv.PASS or acceptable WARNING according to rules.
OQ-002Remove a mandatory CSV column.Schema error or FAIL with missing-column reference.
OQ-003Place a non-numeric value into a numeric field.Type-conversion error with row/field reference.
OQ-004Set a critical parameter outside the limit.FAIL and critical finding.
OQ-005Verify output.json structure.All mandatory sections are present and JSON is valid.
OQ-006Verify batch/sample traceability.Input and result identifiers match.
PQ-001Verify 3–5 real user batches/samples.Result is confirmed by QC/QA review.
PQ-002Verify deviation workflow and manual QA decision.Utility supports review but does not replace approved decision.

QA/QC and change control

  • Do not rename columns without updating validator, documentation and test set.
  • Retain input.csv, output.json, executable version and checksum.
  • Before production use, perform IQ/OQ/PQ or equivalent CSV/CSA verification.
  • Critical limits shall be verified against the approved specification, registration dossier and local SOPs.
  • The utility provides structured QC decision support; final release decision remains with QA/QP and approved procedures.

Included in packages

Liquid Biopsy QC Suite

QC and pre-analytical control package for liquid biopsy workflows: cfDNA/ctDNA, CTC, EV/exosomes, methylation, NGS/qPCR/ddPCR, sample quality, contamination, sensitivity and reporting checks.

Open