Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is the international standard for storing, transmitting, and viewing medical images such as CT and MRI scans. It ensures imaging equipment and systems from different vendors can exchange studies and associated metadata reliably.
What is Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)?
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is the international standard for how medical images are stored, transmitted, and displayed. It applies to studies such as CT and MRI scans and bundles each image together with descriptive metadata.
Because it is a shared standard, DICOM lets imaging equipment and software from different manufacturers exchange studies reliably. This common format is what allows a scan acquired on one vendor's machine to be opened and read on another's system.
Why does DICOM matter?
Standardized imaging exchange supports continuity of care, since images and their associated information can move between facilities, viewers, and archives without loss of meaning. This interoperability reduces the need to repeat scans and helps clinicians access prior studies.
For settings that rely on imaging to plan procedures, dependable DICOM exchange ensures the right images reach the right clinicians on time. It also underpins the systems that store and retrieve studies for documentation and review.
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