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DICOM


Radiation Oncology Systems Conformance Statements

The following DICOM Conformance statements are available for downloading.

       + DICOM 3.0 (PDF)

       + ACQSim CT scanner DICOM (PDF)

 

What is DICOM?

DICOM is a communications standard developed by medical device manufacturers under the auspices of NEMA and the American College of Radiology. DICOM is designed to permit communication of certain digital image information from one computer system to another. What most people think of as DICOM-3 are the image IODs, or Information Object Definitions, that can be communicated (e.g., CT IOD, MRI IOD, etc.).

 

What is specified by DICOM?

  • what image data can be communicated
  • the format of the data to be communicated
  • how the data is to be communicated
  • a conformance document that tells what parts of the standard a particular manufacturer supports
     

DICOM also specifies a series of communication actions (Service Classes)

  • Storage Class User (i.e., sends data)
  • Storage Class Provider (i.e., receives data)
  • Query-Retrieve Service Class (i.e., asks for data and receives data requested)
     

What is DICOM RT?
DICOM RT is sub-set of the DICOM 3 communications standard developed by medical device manufacturers under the auspices of NEMA and the American College of Radiology. It is designed to permit communication of certain digital image, graphic and non-image data specific to radiotherapy from one computer system to another.

 

What does DICOM RT specify?

  • what image, graphic and non-image data can be communicated
  • the format of the data to be communicated
  • how the data is to be communicated
  • a conformance document that tells what parts of the standard a particular manufacturer supports
     

DICOM RT also specifies:

 

A series of data objects (IODs):

  • RT Image (e.g., DRRs, portal images)
  • RT Structure Set (e.g., contours, regions of interest, points of interest, isocenters)
  • RT Plan (e.g., geometric linac parameters)
  • RT Dose (e.g., isodoses, DVHs)
  • RT Record (e.g., number of fractions, doses received)
     

A series of communication actions (Service Classes):

  • Storage Class User (i.e., sends data)
  • Storage Class Provider (i.e., receives data)
  • Query-Retrieve Service Class (i.e., asks for data and receives data requested)
  • PrintService Class (i.e., prints data)
     

Valid rules for associating IODs with Service Classes:

  • e.g., a DRR can be sent from an RTP system to an R&V system if the RTP is a Service Class User, the R&V is a Service Class Provider, and both systems support the RT Image IOD.
  • e.g., an RTP system can request ROIs and beam positions from a CT simulator if both systems support the Query-Retrieve Service Class and both support the RT Structure Set and RT Plan IODs.
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DICOM Plain and Simple

Learn the basics of DICOM in this 'Plain and Simple' series offered by the Online Learning Center.

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