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One of the most frustrating things that can happen inside a doctor’s private practice is trying to view a patient’s images from a recent scan in vain. The computer is brand new, there is a high-speed internet line available, and the online DICOM viewer that the doctor recently downloaded should open the images—except it doesn’t!

Horos is a free, open source medical image viewer. The goal of the Horos project is to develop a fully functional, 64-bit medical image viewer for OS X. This application is based upon OsiriX, as well as on other open source medical imaging libraries.
Horos - a free, open medical image viewer. The goal of the Horos Project is to develop a fully.

But not only doctors in their offices, hospitals have to deal with the same issue with radiologists and physicians complaining about not being able to do their job when they run into technical difficulties while attempting to view clinical images. Is it their fault? Is it the viewer? Is it the 15-year-old computer that’s responsible? In any case, when this happens, doctors are unable to proceed rapidly with the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Therefore, it is vital to choose the best DICOM viewer that will perform smoothly day in and day out and will never let you down!

Which operating system should I use?

Well, here start the real issues because there are enthusiasts who cheer for both Windows and Mac OS but they usually fight over minor things. Most of the “switchers” from MS to Mac and vice versa agree that personal preference is what this is all about. Regardless and when it comes to choosing a DICOM viewer, it’s always safer, more flexible and more preferable to go with a DICOM viewer for Mac which is also compatible with MS Windows and Linux rather than getting a DICOM viewer that will run only on a specific operating system. This will save you from a lot of frustration in the long term.

What do I have to ensure regarding the operating system?

First, you need to determine which DICOM viewer is compatible with your operating system. Not every DICOM viewer works with MS Windows, Mac and Linux at the same time. There is a plethora of DICOM viewers out there but most of them work with either Windows or Mac but not both. So, a healthcare professional needs to decide accordingly.

Second, you will need to make sure that the viewer will autorun once installed. Most of the DICOM viewers out there do have an autorun integrated. However, there are still several choices available that require the installation of specific software first. This procedure makes the system slow and the performance is suboptimal which eventually costs time and money.

Which functions do DICOM viewers generally perform?

DICOM viewers available on the market offer the following functions:

Image viewing
Image exporting (teaching, presentations)
Storage
Sharing images with other healthcare professionals
Mini-PACS servers
Research

Needless to say, the final choice of a DICOM viewer depends on the features that a healthcare professional deems most suitable for their needs. It also depends on the workplace environment. A private practice needs more speed and versatility whereas a hospital group will focus on 3D reconstruction, image editing and manipulation and other advanced tools. A very important feature is a cloud-based PACS system which has come as a breakthrough in the industry. Instead of simply transmitting the images to the workstation, the network of the images is massively broadened and from there, the possibilities are endless. Since any HTML5-compatible device can have access to the cloud, professionals like doctors, nurses, physicians, physiotherapists, and surgeons can share patients’ images all around the globe in an instant! It has become imperative for new DICOM viewers to be integrated with cloud-based PACS.

What exactly is cloud-based PACS? Should I get it?

PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) works by using hardware and software components to acquire images from medical imaging devices—such as CT, MRI, ultrasound, or radiography devices, then converts the files into the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format and moves them to workstations where they can be accessed and reviewed.

To sum up, PACS is the actual software which enables us to exchange, store and share the images while DICOM is the standard file format that makes this possible. There are two forms of PACS: local PACS and cloud-based PACS. Cloud-based PACS is a market-changer because it

Offers more storage
Is safer
Is cheaper in terms of both upfront and maintenance costs
Enhances collaboration across the globe

In order to fully understand the breakthrough that a cloud-based PACS stands for, we need to imagine working with and without it. With a local PACS, the only professionals able to view the images are the ones logged in the same Local Area Network. That limits the access to vital information about the patient’s health. That also makes the system heavier and slower with maintenance problems constantly arising. On the other hand, with the use of a cloud-based PACS and a fast free DICOM viewer, literally anyone with an HTML5-compatible device can access the system from anywhere on Earth! The advantages of such a system are enormous and the effects on improving health outcomes for patients cannot be overlooked.