Preserving Legacy Images With a DICOM Converter

It's a problem that virtually everyone who workscan then be uploaded to a server or PC, a picture
with computers and digital media must deal with;archive and communication system (PACS), and
what to do with old and outdated media aftersaved to portable media such as a DVD. Any medical
hardware software and operating systems haveimage that you convert to DICOM file format can
undergone multiple upgrades - or worse, attemptingthen be read by any web browser across multiple
to read a file that is in a format no longer supported.platforms (provided the host PC has the proper
When it comes to medical imaging, the DICOMsoftware loaded).
converter provides solutions when it comes toDICOM Image Converter Choices
reading older files.There are several different companies that offer
It's Easy To Convert to DICOMvarious ways to convert DICOM files. The Lumen
Only fifteen years ago, capturing a medical procedureSystem is a user-friendly DICOM converter by which
on analog video was state-of-the-art - but modernnon-DICOM video can uploaded to any location on
digital video has made videotape a relic. In addition,the health care facility's intranet or a specified
videotapes deteriorate over time, and the picturelocation on the Internet (i.e., a specialty clinic or the
quality on a digital monitor can be extremely poor.PC of a distant colleague involved in a consultation).
The DICOM image converter allows one to transferThe TIMS System provides a more advanced way
all types medical images for archiving in the DICOMto convert DICOM files; this device will convert any
format.medical image and upload it to a PACS, where the
The primary advantage of a DICOM image converterimage can be archived, distributed and enhanced if
is that your clinic or private practice will not need tonecessary.
spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars that itThe DICOM Exporter is yet another type of DICOM
would otherwise cost to upgrade and/or replace yourimage converter which allows the user to convert to
older, but still serviceable imaging equipment.DICOM any medical image or video to the most
How It Workscommon web image formats (.jpeg, ,mpg, etc.),
DICOM is basically an image file format, similar towhich can then be uploaded across an intranet to a
.jpeg, .gif, .png or .tiff files. Applications such asclinic's digital archive, where it can be readily accessed
Photoshop or GIMP can easily convert images amongby authorized personnel.
the more common formats, but DICOM wasGreening The Industry
developed specifically for medical imaging, andAnother reason to convert to DICOM is to reduce
therefore contains information that is not usually partpaper and chemical waste associated with standard
of common image formats.modalities. The DICOM converter is a large step
The DICOM image converter consists of antoward a "paperless" operation in addition to being far
inexpensive piece of hardware into which the usermore cost effective in terms of material and space.
feeds any medical image, such as an x-ray, MRI,An investment in the hardware required to convert
mammography image, etc. The DICOM converterDICOM files is an investment not only in your health
then translates the image into the DICOM format; itcare facility, but an investment in the planet as well.