Data Query and Downloads

Instructional Videos

Detailed Guides

Query Wizard
Dictionary Query Tool
File Based Data
Globus Share

Query Wizard

Take me to the query wizard

The Lasso Query Wizard allows users to quickly pull full instruments or tables of interest. This guide walks you through the entire process—from the basic workflow through our optional features.

Basic Workflow

Step 1: Accessing the Query Wizard

Navigate Search and Filter Data from the left hand side menu in Lasso. At the top-right of the Search & Filter Data Module, you can toggle between three options:

  • Query Wizard: Quickly Pull Full Instruments
  • Dictionary Query Tool: Build a data set from all variables available + data dictionary
  • File Based Data: Download non-csv data (ie: BIDs data)

Step 2: Choose instruments

From this screen, you can:

  • Instrument Search & Select: Search for the instrument you are interested in by using the middle search bar
  • As soon as you choose an instrument, all sessions containing that instrument are auto-selected
  • Select all Instruments from a Research Domain: Choose a research domain and all instruments within that domain will be auto selected. If you would like to use the ‘research domain’ filter, you must do this prior to selecting an instrument.
  • Sessions are auto-selected based on instrument selection but you can adjust if you are looking for a particular session.

Step 3: Run the Query

Click ‘Run Tabular Query’ to execute your request. Lasso will prepare a single CSV file containing all instruments you have selected.  

Tip: You can search by keyword to quickly locate specific instruments.  

Tip: You can filter by first selecting your research domain(s) of interest. You will then be presented with the available sessions.  

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Optional Features

Filter by a list of participants

Upload a list of participants you would like to limit your search on

Applying Filters with AND/OR Logic

  1. All selected administered at least once (lower ‘n’) - AND LOGIC
  • Produces a smaller dataset containing only overlapping responses.
  1. At least one of the selected is administered (higher ‘n’) - OR LOGIC
  • Broadens results by including any session where one or more selected variables were administered. Once you've selected your data parameters, you can refine your results using logical filters:

Display Options

  1. Use the view toggle in the top-right corner of the instrument screen to switch between grid and list layouts—whichever makes navigation easier for you.
  1. Lasso provides smart filtering options to streamline the instrument selection process:
  • Alphabetical: Sort the instruments A–Z. ‍
  • Selected: View only instruments you’ve already chosen. ‍
  • Enabled: Shows instruments that apply to your current selections. ‍
  • Disabled: Highlights instruments that don’t match your filters. ‍
  • Hide filtered instruments: Removes irrelevant items to keep your view focused.
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NOTE: If you select multiple sessions, the query wizard will display the instruments administered across any of the selected sessions (“OR” logic). To see which instruments were administered at a specific session, hover your mouse over the individual session and the associated instruments will be highlighted. In the example screenshot below, after selecting ses-V02 and ses-V03, the query wizard displays the available instruments (in either session) in light grey. The unavailable instruments are in dark grey. Hovering over ses-V03 reveals the instruments available for that specific session in light orange.

Understanding Output Files

When your query completes, you’ll be prompted to download:

  1. Data Output – Your tabulated dataset of the instruments you chose
  1. Shadow Matrix – A file showing reasons for missing values, helping you understand missingness patterns in your data. Note: missing values appear as “blanks” in the dataset.
    Why the Shadow Matrix is useful     : The shadow matrix gives you transparency into data gaps and enhances your ability to interpret the results accurately.

Dictionary Query Tool

Take me to the DicTionary Query Tool

This guide walks you through how to use the Dictionary Query Tool in Lasso to build, refine, and download datasets efficiently—whether you're looking for variable-level metadata or full tabular data output.

Choosing Your Query Method

At the top-right of the Search & Filter Data Module, you can toggle between three modes:

  • Query Wizard
  • Dictionary Query Tool
  • File Based Data

Use the toggle buttons in the top navigation to switch between tools based on your workflow needs.

Using the Dictionary Query Tool

Step 1: Explore & Filter Variables

  • Use column-level filters to locate specific variables of interest.  
  • You can filter by domain, table name, source and more.

For help understanding column labels, see the table at the bottom of this document.

Step 2: Download Associated Tabulated Data

  1. Select all variables you wish to include in your download.
  2. Drag and drop the desired variables into the Selected Tabular Data area.
  3. Click Download Data to save the generated file to your local device.

Step 3: Download the Data Dictionary

At this step, if you also want to download a dictionary or codebookf or the variables you selected:

  1. Click “Download Data Dictionary” (located next to the Download Data button) to generate a dictionary only for the variables currently selected in your tabulated query.
  2. If you need the full dictionary for all instruments in the study, click the purple “Dictionary” button at the top of the page.

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What do the column names mean in the Lasso Dictionary Query Tool?

  • domain: This indicates the broad category to which a measure belongs.
  • Table_label: The title or label assigned to the measure.
  • Source: The origin of the data for the measure, such as responses from a parent or youth.
  • Table_name: The name given to the measure.
  • Name: The variable name associated with the measure.
  • Description: The specific question or column description related to the variable.
  • Levels: This reflects the number of response categories or levels of measurement for categorical variables.
  • Type_level: Describes the scale type of the variable (e.g., ordinal, nominal).
  • Type_data: Indicates the data type of the variable (e.g., timestamp, character, integer).
  • Type_var: Defines the general category of the variable (e.g., administrative data, summary score).
  • Type_field: Explains how the field was presented to participants (e.g., dropdown, check-all-that-apply).
  • Order_display: The sequence in which the variable/question appeared to participants within the measure.
  • Branching_logic: Logic that determines whether the variable/question is shown based on participant responses.
  • Instruction: The instructions that appeared before all the items in the measure.
  • Identifier_column: Identifies column names used as unique identifiers for the variable.
  • Order_sort: Standardized sort order for columns within a measure; controls column sequencing in the data.
  • Note: Notes provided to participants regarding the column/variable/question.
  • url_table_warn_data: A hyperlink pointing to a warning about data issues for the associated table in the wiki.
  • url_warn_data: Hyperlink to general data issue warnings in the wiki.
  • url_table_warn_use: Hyperlink to guidance on responsible use of data specific to the table.
  • Url_warn_use: Hyperlink to general responsible data use warnings in the wiki.
  • Study: Indicates whether the measure belongs to the core study, a sub-study, or an ancillary study.
  • Version: Specifies the data version (e.g., HBCD 1.0, ABCD 6.0).
  • subdomain: A more granular category within the broader domain.
  • header: Intermediate instructions relevant to a specific group of questions.
  • Unit: The scientific unit of measurement used for the variable (e.g., lbs., cm).
  • Metric: Specifies the particular metric being measured, often in imaging data.
  • Atlas: The cortical or fiber tract atlas referenced in the imaging data.
  • Label_es: The Spanish-language label for the measure.
  • Level_es: Spanish description of the number of response categories for categorical variables.
  • Instruction_es: Spanish version of the instructions before the measure items.
  • Header_es: Spanish translation of the intermediate instructions.
  • Note_es: Spanish note displayed to participants about the variable.
  • url_table: A hyperlink to the table’s detailed description on the wiki.
  • Table_redcap: The name of the REDCap table that includes the variable.
  • Name_redcap: The REDCap-assigned name for the column/variable.
  • Name_redcap_exp: The export-friendly name used in REDCap for the column/variable.
  • Name_DEAP: The name used for this variable in the DEAP system.
  • Table_NDA: The table to which the variable belonged in the NDA before version 5.0 (ABCD Study).
  • Table_NDA 5_0: The NDA table assignment for the variable in version 5.0 (ABCD Study).
  • Name_NDA: The variable name as used in the NDA system.

    • File Based Data Download (ABCD & HBCD Studies)

    Take me to the File-Based Download

    Prerequisites

    • Globus Connect Personal or Globus Connect Server must be properly installed and configured. For more details, please refer the documentation available here.
    • You must be authorized to access the ABCD or HBCD datasets via Lasso Informatics.

    Study Selection

    At any time, you can toggle between studies (ABCD, HBCD) using the dropdown selector in the left-hand navigation menu. Ensure the correct study is selected before querying for relevant data fields and/or downloading data outputs.

    How do I access file-based data?

    Once you download Globus Connect, you can begin the file based data download process.

    At the top-right of the Search & Filter Data interface, you can toggle between three tools:

    • Query Wizard
    • Dictionary Query Tool
    • File Based Data

    Use these toggle buttons to switch to File Based Data and browse available data related to your selected study. This view gives access to both raw BIDS-compliant data and derivative files.

    How do I download file based data?

    1. Choose the appropriate study—ABCD or HBCD—from the study selector. Once selected, you can browse the available data specific to that study.
    2. From the list of available options, select all data modalities you're interested in. You can select multiple modalities depending on your research needs.
    3. Once your selections are complete, proceed to trigger transfer (orange button on the top-right). The system will package and prepare your data for download.
    1. You will have to authorize or re-authorize Lasso for Globus Transfers.
    1. Please complete the authorization process by clicking on your email and logging in. We recommend using your institutional credentials, or alternatively, your Globus ID.
    1. Next, you will be redirected to the Globus collections page where you can view your collections. Double click on it to choose a download destination on your machine.
    1. You can either select an existing directory or folder on your computer or create a new one for your files to be downloaded to.
    1. Click on Transfer Here to begin the data transfer process.
    1. Once the download is complete, your files will be downloaded to the destination specified.
    1. You can also check the progress of your data transfers by either:
      Clicking on the link provided on this screen.

    Or Windows and Mac Users: Tapping on the Globus icon in your systems tray and going to Web: Activity

    Or For all operating systems: Visiting globus.org and clicking on activity from the menu on the left side of the application.

    You will also be sent an email once your data transfer is complete.

    Understanding the BIDS Elements in the Lasso File Based Query

    Left Panel: “Raw”

    This column lists the core metadata files and imaging modality folders defined by the BIDS standard. In the screenshot above, the items listed below do not have ‘toggles’ but rather check boxes:

    • participants.tsv (Tabular)
      Lists all participants along with optional metadata such as sex, handedness, and age.
    • dataset_description.json (JSON)
      Required in every BIDS dataset. Contains critical metadata: study name, version, authors, funding sources, and references.
    • sessions.tsv (Tabular)
      Provides session-level information for multi-session studies, including visit labels, dates, and site locations.
    • scans.tsv (Tabular)
      Includes file-specific metadata for each imaging scan—e.g., acquisition time and run number.
    • beh/ (Directory)
      Stores behavioral task outputs such as events and response data, typically linked to fMRI tasks.

    These metadata files serve as the scaffolding for navigating and parsing the BIDS directory structure. They are essential for aligning sessions with scan files and associating imaging data with subject metadata.

    Raw Imaging Modalities (Toggles)

    Below the files, you see a list of toggle switches labeled:

    • anat (anatomical)
    • beh (behavioral)
    • dwi (diffusion)
    • fmap (field maps)
    • func (functional MRI)
    • mrs (magnetic resonance spectroscopy)

    What happens when you toggle these on?

    Each toggle enables viewing and selecting corresponding imaging folders under the BIDS /sub-<ID>/ses-<ID>/ hierarchy:

    • Anatomical Data (/anat/)‍
      • Includes: T1w, T2w, rec-NORM, rec-NORMALIZED, acq-MPRAGE, acq-SPGR, acq-NORM
    • Diffusion Data (/dwi/)
      • Includes: dwi, dir-AP, dir-PA, acq-64dirPA, acq-64dirAP
    • Functional Data (/func/)
      • Includes: task-FEED, task-REST, _events.tsv, _physio.json
    • Field Maps (/fmap/)
      • Includes: acq-FUNC, dir-PA, dir-AP, _epi.nii.gz
    • Behavioral Data (/beh/)
      • Includes: blocklog.tsv, events.tsv, tap.tsv, tap.json
    • MRS Data (/mrs/)
      • Includes: HERCULES_SHORTTE, sub-*/mrs/HERCULES_SHORTTE

    Each scan has associated.nii.gz files and .json sidecars for acquisition metadata.

    Center Panel: Derivatives Section

    This directory contains derived neuroimaging and behavioral data outputs generated through standardized and study-specific preprocessing pipelines. These derivatives serve as precomputed resources for analysis, quality control, and visualization. Some folders follow the BIDS Derivatives specification, while others use internally defined conventions.

    Folder Structure

    Each derivative folder is organized by participant (sub-<ID>) and session (ses-<ID>), and may contain:

    • Processed NIfTI images
    • Surface reconstructions
    • Confound regressors
    • Motion parameters
    • Quality metrics
    • Tabular summaries
    • JSON metadata (dataset_description.json)

    Included Pipelines

    ABCD Derivatives

    • freesurfer/
      Performs cortical surface reconstruction and volumetric segmentation.
      Includes subfolders like surf, mri, label, stats, etc.
    • mmps_mproc/
      ABCD-specific pipeline for structural, diffusion, and functional data preprocessing.
    • dataset_description.json
      Contains metadata for each pipeline output, adhering to BIDS-derivative guidelines.

    HBCD Pipelines

    • freesurfer/
      Standard surface-based morphometry.
    • qsiprep/, qsirecon/
      Handles diffusion MRI preprocessing and reconstruction using models from DIPY, DSI Studio, and TORTOISE.
    • xcp_d/
      Post-fMRIPrep BOLD timeseries processing including nuisance regression and filtering.
    • mriqc/
      Automates image quality metrics generation.
    • qmriqpostproc/, symri/
      Supports quantitative MRI postprocessing.
    • osprey/, nibabies/, mcribs/
      Provides pipelines for infant-optimized processing and spectroscopy.
    • hbcd_motion/, madel/, bibsnet/
      Includes motion quantification and infant segmentation tools.
    • qsigc_*, qsirecon-*, TORTOISE_*
      Specialized pipelines for dMRI modeling and reconstructions.
    • dataset_description.json
      Present in top-level derivative folders for documentation purposes.

    Metadata Files

    Each pipeline directory typically includes:

    dataset_description.json: Describes the derivative dataset origin and tool versions

    *.tsv: Tabular summaries or metrics per participant/region

    *.json: Metadata describing acquisition, processing parameters, or QC outcomes

    Notes and Best Practices

    Not all derivative folders are fully BIDS-compliant; check the dataset_description.json for versioning and schema.

    Some outputs may include additional quality-control images, masks, or intermediate files not suitable for direct statistical analysis.

    When using derived data in publications, cite the appropriate software (e.g., FreeSurfer, FMRIPrep, QSIPrep) and study Date Use Certification (DUC) guidelines.

    Right Panel: Source Section (ABCD Only)

    This section lists additional source-level metadata not embedded in the raw folders. These help with study-level quality control or linking files to scan procedures.

    Examples:

    • fasttrack_mri_qc.csv
      Captures imaging quality control flags and metrics across sessions.
    • scans.tsv / scans.json
      Documents the scans that were executed, including timing information and file-level annotations.
    • sessions.tsv / sessions.json
      Provides details about study visits, such as scanning site, scanner used, and visit date.
    • dataset_description.json
      Reiterated here for clarity—offers an overview of the entire study including its structure and metadata.

    Practical Example

    A typical download might include:

    • participants.tsv to define your sample
    • sessions.tsv to align visits across timepoints
    • anat/ and func/ toggled on to pull structural and resting-state data
    • freesurfer/ derivative outputs to pair with cortex-level summaries

    These selections result in a BIDS-compatible directory that can be used with standard neuroimaging tools like fMRIPrep, BIDS-validator, or Nipype workflows.

    Triggering the Download

    1. Next, select all files that you want to download and click “Trigger Transfer” on the top-right section of your screen.  

    2. Click Authorize Lasso for Globus Transfer.

    3. You will be redirected to globus collections page where you can view your collections. Double click on it to choose a download destination on your machine.

    4. You can either select an existing directory on your computer or create a new one for your files to be downloaded to.

    5. Click on Transfer Here to begin the data transfer process.

    6. Once the download is complete, your files will be downloaded to the destination specified.

    7. You can also check the progress of your data transfers by either:  

    a) Mac Users: Tapping on the Globus icon in your systems tray and going to Web: Activity  

    or

    b) Mac and Windows Users: Visiting globus.org and clicking on activity.  

    You will also be sent an email once your data transfer is complete.

    Summary Checklist

    ✅ Install Globus Connect

    ✅ Select study (ABCD/HBCD)

    ✅ Navigate to Query Data / File Download

    ✅ Choose files

    ✅ Trigger transfer

    ✅ Authorize Lasso

    ✅ Choose destination in Globus

    ✅ Transfer and monitor

    Globus Share Download

    Large datasets—especially those containing high-resolution imaging files are downloaded using Globus. This tool enables secure, high-speed transfers between the Lasso platform and your local machine. Globus Connect is particularly useful for downloading the file-based data (e.g., imaging files) inLasso that cannot be efficiently transferred through standard browser-based methods.

    Using Globus Connect Server (Institutional Setup)

    If your institution supports the Globus Service (e.g., through Globus Connect Server), we strongly encourage you to use it. This version:

    1. Connects to institutional or high-performance storage systems
    2. Enables faster, more reliable transfers of large datasets

    To get started, share the DUC and NIST documentation with your IT department. They can install and configure Globus Connect Server on your behalf. For endpoint configuration, IT staff may refer to the Globus Connect Server documentation or contact Globus Support for assistance.

    Using Globus Personal Connect (Individual Use)

    If your institution does not support Globus Connect Server, we recommend you install the Globus Personal Connect for individual data transfers.

    1. To get started, sign into the NBDC Datahub and go to the download tools page and click on “Open Globus Personal Connect Download Page”.
    1. Next, install the correct application package based on your operating system.
    1.  When prompted, log in to Globus.
      • Use your institutional credentials by selecting your organization from the drop-down list.
      • If your institution is not listed, create a Globus ID to sign in.
      • If you are already signed in, simply authorize Lasso to use your Globus ID.
    1. Once the application is installed, click on Log In.
    1. Now, give your collection container a name and hit save. Please DO NOT select the High Assurance checkbox while creating your collections through Globus Connect Personal.

    You're now set up to securely download data via Globus Connect. Refer to the file-based data documentation for further instructions on how to download data using this tool.