DICOM Links

The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Standard is a detailed specification that describes the means of formatting and exchanging medical information and associated patient data. The standard applies to the operation of the interface which is used to transfer data in and out of an imaging device.

DICOM relies on computer industry standard network connections and addresses more effectively the communication of digital information from diagnostic modalities to HIS/RIS information systems. It also supports the connection of networked hardcopy devices.

DICOM is the result of an alliance of potential users of the standard (members of the American College of Radiology - ACR) with the companies that manufacture medical equipment (members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association - NEMA) that began in 1984. DICOM has also been embraced by other worldwide standards organizations and other healthcare disciplines outside of radiology. These additional inputs to the DICOM effort have made extensive contributions to its success.

The DICOM standard has now been implemented in an increasing number of medical products of various vendors. The rapid adoption of DICOM by the medical imaging industry is opening new opportunities for health care organizations to increase the quality of patient care and cost effectiveness of the handling of and access to images and associated information.

The Official Home Page of DICOM
Provided by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

The Official DICOM Resources Page
Provides DICOM documents and tools from Merge.com.

David Clunie's web site
DICOM supplements and other links.

RSNA.ORG
DICOM handbook and other links from the Radiological Society of North America.

Hershey Medical Center
Sample images and demonstrations available from the Penn State College of Medicine.

Link to the DICOM newsgroup