Scatter Plot

Learn to build and use scatter plots in the Cohort Browser.

The Cohort Browser is accessible to all users of the UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform and the Our Future Health Trusted Research Environment.

For DNAnexus Platform users, an Apollo license is required to access the Cohort Browser. Contact DNAnexus Sales for more information.

When to Use Scatter Plots

Scatter plots can be used to compare the distribution of values in a field containing numerical data, across different groups in a cohort. In a scatter plot, each such group is defined by its members sharing the same value in another field that also contains numerical data.

Primary field values are plotted on the x axis. Secondary field values are plotted on the y axis.

Supported Data Types
Primary Field	Secondary Field
Numerical (Integer) or Numerical (Float)	Numerical (Integer) or Numerical (Float)

Using Scatter Plots in the Cohort Browser

In the scatter plot below, each dot represents a particular combination of values, found in one or more records in a cohort, in fields Insurance Billed and Cost. The lighter the dot at a particular point, the fewer the records that share that combination. Darker dots, meanwhile, indicate that relatively more records that share a particular combination.

Scatter Plot: Insurance Billed x Cost

Non-Numeric Data in Scatter Plots

In some cases, a field containing numeric data may also contain some non-numeric values. These values cannot be represented in a scatter plot. The message "This field contains non-numeric values" will appear below the scatter plot, as in this sample chart:

Scatter Plot Based on Field or Fields Containing Non-Numeric Values

Clicking the "non-numeric values" link will display detail on those values, and the number of record in which each appears.

Detail on Non-Numeric Values

Limit on Number of Data Points

In the Cohort Browser, scatter plots can show up to 30,000 distinct data points. If you create a scatter plot that would require that more data points be shown, you'll see this message above the chart:

Scatter Plot with Warning Message about Data Point Limit

In this scenario, add a cohort filter to generate a scatter plot that shows data for all the members of a cohort.

Cohort Compare

Scatter plots are not supported in Cohort Compare.

Preparing Data for Visualization in Scatter Plots

When ingesting data using Data Model Loader, note that the following data types can be visualized in scatter plots:

• Integer

• Integer Sparse

• Float

• Float Sparse