What is DICOM used for?

DICOM is used in virtually all hospitals worldwide. It ensures the interoperability of systems used to:

• • Produce,
  • Store,
  • Display,
  • Send,
  • Query
  • Process,
  • Retrieve,
  • Print

... medical images and derived structured documents, as well as to manage the related workflow.

Who needs DICOM?

Physicians get better access to images and reports DICOM is in place. This allows them to make a faster diagnosis, potentially from anywhere in the world.

Patients can obtain faster and more effective care when DICOM is used to send their information through the healthcare enterprise.

Hospitals, clinics, imaging centers and specialists can make conformance to specific features of DICOM part of their purchasing requirements to ensure these tools work together across vendors to produce, manage and distribute images.

Manufacturers of imaging equipment (CT, MR, Ultrasound, etc), imaging information systems (HIS, RIS, PACS), and peripheral equipment (workstations, 3D printers, CD importers, etc) conform to DICOM to ensures compatibility of their equipment at every medical imaging facility.

Payers benefit from this faster and more effective process through potentially lowered cost of care.

DICOM’s purpose is to meet each of these diverse requirements.