Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine
Posted on:3/24/2006
| Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is a comprehensive set of standards for handling, storing and transmitting information in medical imaging. |
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is a comprehensive set of standards for handling, storing and transmitting information in medical imaging. It includes a file format definition and a network communications protocol. This protocol is an application protocol, it uses TCP/IP to communicate between systems. DICOM files can be exchanged between two entities that have the capability to receive the information - image and patient data - in DICOM format.
DICOM was developed to enable integration of scanners, servers, workstations and network hardware from multiple vendors into a picture archiving and communication system. The different machines, servers and workstations come with DICOM conformance statements which clearly state the DICOM classes supported by them. DICOM has been widely adopted by hospitals and is making inroads in smaller applications like dentist's and doctor's offices. DICOM is categorized into two different transmissions; DICOM Store and DICOM Print. DICOM Store is a format to send to a PACS System or Workstation. DICOM Print is a format to send to a DICOM Printer, normally to print an "X-Ray" film. Most vendors require individual licenses to perform these types of transmissions. This standard provides the sender image quality control over the image being sent.
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