What is DICOM?
DICOM stands for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine. DICOM is the international standard for medical images. It sets out how to store, exchange and transmit them. You can read more about DICOM images in our article What is a Dicom image format.
The Dicom format is an integral part of enterprise imaging in the medical industry. It allowed for standardized medical image storage across different imaging modalities (MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, etc.).
The filename extension for DICOM files is: .dcm
Is DICOM a file format?
Yes, DICOM is a file format. More precisely, it’s a standard that defines how medical images and associated information should be stored, retrieved, and exchanged.
How do I use Dicom?
DICOM is used primarily for enterprise imaging in the healthcare sector to store, transmit, and exchange medical images. This includes images from modalities such as X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, and more.
How do I read a DICOM image/file in Java?
Reading a DICOM image involves using specialized software or libraries that can interpret the DICOM format. This can be a dedicated DICOM viewer application, or, for developers, a library that can be integrated into custom software. For that, we have another blog post “How to read DICOM file in Java?”.
Where can I find code to read DICOM image?
You can check the code on JDeli page where you can find a code to read a DICOM Image in JDeli is a couple of lines of code.
How do I create a DICOM file?
Creating a DICOM file from scratch is complex because it involves not only the image data but also the associated metadata. It’s usually done with medical imaging devices. However, if you need to create one for testing or other non-clinical purposes, you can use DICOM libraries or software to convert regular images to DICOM while adding necessary metadata.
How can I extract metadata from a DICOM file using Java?
To extract metadata (like patient information, scan details, etc) from DICOM in Java, you would typically use a library that supports DICOM parsing, such as DCM4CHE.
Which Java Dicom libraries and tools are available?
There are several Java libraries for working with DICOM, including DCM4CHE, pixelMed, and JDeli. JDeli stands out for its ease of use, performance, and reliability in reading image files, including DICOM.
Once a DICOM file is read into a BufferedImage using JDeli, it can be displayed in Java GUI frameworks like Swing or JavaFX. Other enterprise imaging solutions do not come with support for a wide range of image formats including Dicom.
Are there any open-source Java projects focused on DICOM processing?
While JDeli is a powerful tool for image processing in Java, if you are looking for open-source projects specifically tailored for DICOM, you should consider libraries like DCM4CHE. However, for efficient and reliable image reading (with support), JDeli remains an excellent choice.
Can I convert DICOM image to JPEG or PNG?
Yes, there are tools and libraries, including DCM4CHE, JDeli, that allow you to convert DICOM images to common formats like JPEG or PNG. However, be cautious as you might lose the specific metadata associated with DICOM during this process.
How do I visualize a DICOM file?
To visualize a DICOM file, consider using a DICOM viewer. JDeli includes a DICOM viewer and can help make images look their best before you view them with other programs. There are many DICOM viewers out there, both free and commercial . They let you look at the image, zoom in, and see extra information about it.
Are DICOM files encrypted? How can I ensure the privacy of patient data?
While DICOM files can support encryption, not all are encrypted by default. It’s crucial to ensure patient data’s privacy by using encryption tools and following best practices, especially when transmitting files over a network.
Using reliable libraries for enterprise imaging solutions such as JDeli simplifies DICOM support in Java, ensuring efficient and reliable outcomes. You can also use the Java Dicom library to convert your Dicom images to other formats, to increase their functionality.
Are you a Java Developer working with Image files?
What is JDeli?
JDeli is a commercial Java Image library that is used to read, write, convert, manipulate and process many different image formats.
Why use JDeli?
To handle many well known formats such as JPEG, PNG, TIFF as well as newer formats like AVIF, HEIC and JPEG XL in java with no calls to any external system or third party library.
What licenses are available?
We have 3 licenses available:
Server for on premises and cloud servers, Distribution for use in a named end user applications, and Custom for more demanding requirements.
How does JDeli compare?
We work hard to make sure JDeli performance is better than or similar to other java image libraries. Check out our benchmarks to see just how well JDeli performs.