DICOM
Medical abbreviation · Medical Imaging
| Stands for | Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
DICOM stands for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine, a medical imaging abbreviation.
International standard for storing and transmitting medical images and related data, used by virtually every CT, MRI, ultrasound and X-ray machine. A DICOM file holds the image plus header data such as patient identifiers, study date, scanner settings and slice position.
Example: Patient's outside MRI arrived on a disc as DICOM files and was imported for review.
Usage notes
Developed by the American College of Radiology and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, with the DICOM name adopted for version 3.0 in 1993. Pronounced "DYE-com". Because headers contain personal information, files must be de-identified before research sharing. Free viewers let patients open images burned onto CDs.
Related abbreviations
More medical imaging abbreviations
- CTP – Computed tomography perfusion
- CTPA – Computed tomography pulmonary angiography
- CTU – Computed tomography urography
- CXR – Chest X-ray
- DBT – Digital breast tomosynthesis
- DEXA – Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- DSA – Digital subtraction angiography
- DWI – Diffusion-weighted imaging
- DXA – Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
- FDG – Fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18)
- FLAIR – Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery
- Fluoro – Fluoroscopy
See all 58 medical imaging abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.