The Utility of Digital and Imaging Communication in Medicine (DICOM) on Endoscopic Examination

Abstract

We now report our new network system for medical imaging information. Our institute has adopted the digital and imaging communication in medicine (DICOM) since October 1999 for saving endoscopic image data. DICOM is the network standard, which was developed for communication of medical information by digital image files attached with personal or other medical information on each patient, regardless of kinds or types of the imaging instruments. The adoption of this system resulted in saving image files by digital data in high quality with worselessness as well as saving a large quantity of data into small space, which are created in routine work in the hospital. Moreover the standardization of this system in the institute can : 1) unify medical information of other image information including computed tomograph, ultrasonograph etc, 2) simplify to construct network communication system within the institute, 3) simplify to exchange image files among institutes mutually. In the actual medical practice, this network system would make it possible easily for medical staffs to receive patients' information and to see a variety of needed. We can also utilize those data for presentation in the case conference in the hospital or making slides in the meeting and so on. We believe that this system will be useful for communications among hospitals and clinics if it is utilized widely, resulted in reducing the medical regional differences in future.